30 Years Later, The Biggest Alien Invasion Movie Ever Made Is Streaming On Netflix

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Aliens have been a staple of cinema for decades. The 1950s brought with it movies such as "It Came from Outer Space" (which is overdue for a remake) and "The Day the Earth Stood Still," among others. But no alien invasion movie in the history of alien invasion movies has been as big, in every sense of the word, as "Independence Day." Now, nearly 30 years after it first invaded theaters, Roland Emmerich's epic blockbuster is streaming for your viewing pleasure.

Streaming now on Netflix, "Independence Day" is available for subscribers to either revisit or enjoy for the first time. The movie sees worldwide communications systems sent into chaos by a strange interference that is eventually revealed to be a gigantic alien spacecraft. These extraterrestrials have arrived on Earth with hostile intentions, launching attacks that obliterate the world's largest cities. A band of survivors hatches a wild plan to fight back against these invaders with the fate of humanity on the line.

In terms of alien invasion movies, "The Avengers" redefined blockbuster filmmaking and grossed more than $1.5 billion at the box office, but it's much more of a superhero movie than an alien invasion movie. Similarly, the later "Transformers" sequels could hardly be considered alien invasion movies by the more traditional definition, for anyone who wishes to get in the weeds.

Setting that aside, Emmerich's mega-budget summer blockbuster was massive in every sense of the word. The alien's ships were city-sized. The cast was massive. The action remains nearly unmatched in sheer scale. There's nothing else quite like it. There's a reason why it's one of the best movies to watch on the Fourth of July every year, aside from the fact that it takes place on the annual American holiday.

"Independence Day" was one of the movies that helped cement Will Smith as a bona fide movie star. It certainly helped that he starred in "Men in Black" the following summer. It also features Bill Pullman as President Whitmore, perhaps the greatest President of the United States in cinema history. Pullman's legendary speech even helped change the title of the movie to "Independence Day" from "Doomsday."

That's to say nothing of Jeff Goldblum, who cemented himself as a blockbuster superhero as David Levinson. And we can't forget Randy Quaid as the unforgettable drunk-turned-hero Russell Casse. Roland Emmerich delivered more than just hollow spectacle with this movie, though the spectacle is spectacular. That's a big reason it resonated so much with audiences then and continues to resonate with them now.

At the time of its release, "Independence Day" made $817 million at the global box office, second only to Steven Spielberg's "Jurassic Park" in 1993, which earned $978 million in its original run. Goldblum was a big part of both movies; it just so happens.

Emmerich eventually revisited this world in 2016 with "Independence Day: Resurgence," which wasn't nearly as successful critically or commercially. Smith didn't return because he chose "Suicide Squad" over "Resurgence," which certainly didn't help matters. For most fans of the original, the less said about the sequel, the better. Instead, take a trip back to 1996 and absorb the popcorn tentpole delights that Emmerich delivered at the height of his powers as a director.

You can also grab "Independence Day" on 4K, Blu-ray, or DVD from Amazon.