Independence Daysaster (2013)

Disappointment for a huge fan!

Absolutely Fantastic

This is a dark and sometimes deeply uncomfortable drama

Through painfully honest and emotional moments, the movie becomes irresistibly relatable

... comes one of the worst films you are likely to see in your lifetime, with (amazingly) a clever idea to the script that is totally lost in translation.For the benefit of IMDb members not aware of the dynamic that supports Canadian knockoffs like this: these films exist because and only because of a massive tax subsidy at multiple levels of government in Canada, aided and abetted by a weaker dollar (relative to the US buck) which calls out to US producers in search of higher profits like a Siren Song to Ulysses.The results can be excellent (Eureka) but are mostly horrible. When a film franchise dies in the US, a Canuck producer will buy the rights to a final sequel, a sequel designed to be "in profit" before the cameras even roll.That said, this is an Indedependence Day knockoff done so poorly that it includes lines of dialog (and actors and special effects) that will make you cringe. This is an ADULT film where alien invaders have wiped out all major cities on earth but somehow the earth is SAVED by a bunch of teenage computer hackers in a BARN.What more can I say??? The best performance -- the only credible performance -- is by Merriman. The entire 2 hr film has a total cast of about 7 people in all and the other 6 are forgettable.Is it possible to do a two hour film more cheaply? Clever those Canadians

It's early afternoon on the Fourth of July. You've already grilled out and ate lunch with the family. While you were going in and out of the house, you watched the one movie that is an absolute must for the holiday. Everyone knows "Independence Day" is required viewing on this great patriotic day of celebration. What do you do after the credits roll on Roland Emmerich's blockbuster gem? Anchor Bay and SyFy Channel answer that nagging question with their release of "Independence Daysaster."An alien invasion strikes the Earth from above and below on the birthday of the United States. The President (Tom Everett Scott) is on his way to his hometown festivities when his helicopter is knocked out of the sky by one of the intergalactic enemy's ships. After meeting up with his son and a group of survivors, he must lead them to safety and discover a way to stop the imminent destruction of the entire planet."Independence Daysaster" is a combination of every alien invasion film you've ever seen. They come from the sky and under the Earth just like in "War of the Worlds." We discover their goal is to wipe out humanity and terraforming the planet like in "The Arrival." I think the description above makes it obvious how it compares to "Independence Day." If you're wondering if there's anything original about the film at all, I give you a resounding "no."The good thing about "Independence Daysaster" is that it's clean fun for the whole family. There's no over-the-top gore or bloodshed. People get smashed and sucked up, but there are never any graphic mutilations or decapitations seen on screen. It's just old-fashioned PG-rated disaster movie mayhem and relatively inoffensive as far as language is concerned.The cast of "Independence Daysaster" is made up of familiar TV stars and supporting actors. Tom Everett Scott is present from "That Thing You Do" and "An American Werewolf in Paris." Andrea Brooks of "Supernatural" plays a teenager in love with physics. "Pretty Little Liars" villain Ryan Merriman gets to embrace the good as a heroic fireman.Notice I didn't use the descriptive word "good" before "clean fun" or "old-fashioned?" That's because I wouldn't consider this flick to be necessarily good either as an actual feature film or a "so-bad-it's- good" B-movie. It takes itself way too seriously to be lampooned and isn't engaging enough to hold your attention past the casual look up every minute or so while flipping through Facebook on your cell phone. However, "Independence Daysaster" can provide some light entertainment if you're looking for something to help pass the time between lunch and dinner or before heading out to watch fireworks.

Decent special effects and acting can't save the dopey tediousness of this made-for-TV sci-fi actioner that's ultimately done in by a clumsy plot and the worst title ever given a film, ever, ever.Despite the obvious comparison to the big-budget "Independence Day" of more than a decade prior, the only similarity between that blockbuster and this DTV nonsense is the alien-invasion story and the ridiculously convenient and inane deus ex machina plot devices that let our heroes save the day.Otherwise, this one is about aliens who decide to terraform the earth, using giant, robotic phalluses that burst out of the ground, and flying, spherical drones that protect a mother ship that emerges – suddenly! – from behind the moon.That's all we get.A ragtag group of nerds, teenagers and the president of the United States (!), team up to save the world. And it's a good thing they do, because this is one of those movies in which the only people who exist in the world are those with speaking parts. It's like the filmmakers spend so much money on special effects, they can't afford to pay an extra or two to stand in the background to at least make the town that's getting destroyed by alien robot drones look somewhat populated.Tom Everett Scott from "That Thing You Do," the only player of note in this drivel, has matured into a handsome and confident actor who needs to fire his agent, and hire one who can talk him out of idiotic films like this one, "Santa Paws 2" and "Mars Needs Moms." Seriously, dude's got some chops. There's gotta be a "Law & Order" or "CSI" franchise for this guy somewhere.Most of the other actors in this movie, surprisingly, give it all they've got. I mean, once their agent sent them a script that said "Independence Daysaster" on the cover, they should have been expected to phone it in. But these little nobodies act their little nobody hearts out, and it's so charming.Not charming enough, however, to make this a good movie, or one worth recommending you spend 90 minutes of your life with. Despite everyone's good intentions, "Independence Daysaster" is a disaster.

Independence Daysaster did have a silly but also intriguing concept and title going for it, so it was definitely worth considering a viewing. As a movie, it is hardly a masterpiece of film-making- far from it- but it doesn't try to be and there is much worse around. For a SyFy original movie, it is neither among the best or worst, there are too many flaws to recommend but it is somewhat tolerable. The acting mostly is reasonably good here, almost everyone seems to be having some sort of fun acting in a way that doesn't try too hard or suggestive of going through the motions. The scenery is nice, simple but not in-someone's-basement sort of quality, the shot of earth from outer space view and what there is of the action is fun and edge-of-your-seat quality. The music was a mixed bag, sometimes rousing, at other times too much of a dirge and the sort of sounds and rhythms that you've heard more than once. While the acting is not bad, Tom Everett Scott was unconvincing as the president, he lacked cragginess and proper authority and seemed bewildered too. Like most SyFy originals, Independence Daysaster is badly hindered by its budget. The special effects look really cheap and are papier-mâché-like in quality, while it was clear from the photography and editing that Independence Daysaster was made in a rush and with not much love. The script isn't too complicated but at the same time comes as too simplistic and never strongly develops the characters, the inspirational speech was really clichéd and not one of those speeches that you want to take inspiration from, Scott's lack of conviction in delivery didn't help either. The story is a case of too much talk and being behind technology and not enough action, there are entertaining moments but not enough and there are too many dull stretches. The predictability levels are also high, and the suspense and genuine-care-for-situation levels low. The characters are not annoying as such and serve a point to the story, but they are never anywhere developed enough to make the audience connect with them. The aliens are under-utilised, not much of a threat judging from how people react to them and they are not in any way relateable. And then there's the science, not as infuriating as other SyFy original movies but far too silly to be believable. All in all, nothing special and not particularly a good movie but it's never really unbearably bad either. 4/10 Bethany Cox