ARTICLE / SHORT READ

CUT TO [reset]

WE WILL NOT GO QUIETLY INTO THE NIGHT
​
INDEPENDENCE DAY
Roland Emmerich / 1996

BY Ethan Soffe
​
PUBLISHED
​JUNE 2020

“TODAY, we celebrate our Independence Day!” This is the phrase spoken by President Thomas J Whitmore (Bill Pullman) in the film INDEPENDENCE DAY (Roland Emmerich 1996), just before the final battle against the extra-terrestrial invaders. These words hold true meaning to the concept of reset, inspiring hope, dignity and alliance. The words encourage bravery in catastrophic events, such as the attack against mankind depicted in the film, or even ones mirroring our current global climate. INDEPENDENCE DAY follows the unexpected arrival of an extra-terrestrial race determined to conquer and destroy mankind while humans persist in surviving. The film conveys the central theme of reset in relation to three distinct aspects: encouragement, pride and collaboration.  

The President is a driving force of encouragement. He actively engages with the American public to ensure balance and serenity during the devastating times that pose an enormous threat to Earth’s population. President Whitmore’s encouragement is demonstrated in his pivotal speech where he promotes mankind’s will to survive. He further promotes this encouragement by leading the final showdown against the alien invaders by persuading regular citizens with flight experience to join the fight. The President’s uniting of ordinary individuals stimulates the film’s major character arcs. A prominent example of these arcs is revenge. President Whitmore is driven by his objective to avenge his wife’s death and crop duster pilot Russell Casse (Randy Quaid) is determined to enact revenge on his supposed abductor from ten years prior. Russell’s objective is accomplished through his sacrifice; he pilots his aircraft directly into the mothership’s energy core whilst proudly declaring “Hello boys! I’m back!”. Alongside the vengeance that propels these characters, the driving force for most of the characters is to survive.  

Pride is exhibited through the underlying national American holiday the Fourth of July or, as it is commonly referred to, Independence Day. The film strongly reinforces the sense of American pride and celebrating independence. The underlying essence of the narrative is fighting for dignity and liberty against a foreign power. Rather than a celebration of independence from British rule, this second Independence Day is concentrated on abolishing the threat of potential extra-terrestrial rule. President Whitmore’s speech signifies this American pride through his statement: “you will once again be fighting for our freedom not from tyranny, oppression, or persecution but from annihilation”. President Whitmore’s declaration connotes this pride by espousing America’s enduring values of honour and preserving sovereignty. It emphasises the national holiday to impart the severity of the threat.          

With the sense of pride comes the ideal of collaboration. Collaboration is depicted during the narrative’s progression through several intertwining stories portraying different characters from diverse backgrounds. One particular example includes the unlikely partnership of hotshot US marine corps fighter pilot Captain Steven Hiller (Will Smith) and geeky technological expert David Levinson (Jeff Goldblum). The two men come from completely separate backgrounds and occupations yet both become a vital catalyst in defeating the extra-terrestrial enemies, with one piloting their revamped alien fighter, whilst the other focuses on uploading the virus to the mothership. These types of stories are important in conveying collaboration, as the characters’ cooperation with one another adds to their overall effort to conquer the threat to their dignity. Coming together, collectively responding to boundaries and obstacles, builds their mutual acceptance. All of these central characters attempt to overcome the obstacles they encounter in pursuit of one common goal: survival at all cost. The film’s persistence in communicating encouragement, pride and collaboration can be summarised by President Whitmore’s vital words in his speech: “We will not go quietly into the night. We will not vanish without a fight. We’re going to live on. We’re going to survive!”

INDEPENDENCE DAY encapsulates the theme of reset with its multiple character-focused plot along with a monumental disaster threatening to shake Earth’s core. It certainly echoes timely and relevant themes that can easily be applied to our current societal situation. In a tweet, the pivotal speech was recently appropriated by Donald Trump, which included an altered version of the scene replaced with himself as President Whitmore whilst political allies and Trump family members appear as cameos. Trump’s bizarre alignment with this moment further demonstrates the power of this speech. While Whitmore’s presidency unequivocally deviates from Trump’s, the intention here is that a scene with such influence can be used to fuel the current president’s own self-image and self-importance, much to the horror of the film’s stars.

more RESET >>>