In this feature where we take two movies with similar themes (or an original and a remake) and pit them against each other in different film-making categories to see which comes out on top! This time we honor the 4th of July with two flag-waving movies by a horrible director from Germany:

Independence Day trailer

The Patriot trailer

Cast

Independence Day: Will Smith, Jeff Goldblum, Bill Pullman, Randy Quaid, Judd Hirsch, Vivica A. Fox, Harvey Fierstein, Adam Baldwin

The Patriot: Mel Gibson, Heath Ledger, Jason Isaacs, Joely RIchardson, Chris Cooper, Adam Baldwin

Heath Ledger was just breaking out as an actor, and Mel Gibson was not yet publically crazy, but Jeff Goldblum.

Point: Independence Day

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Directing

Independence Day: Roland Emmerich (The Patriot, Godzilla, 10,000 B.C.), who if nothing else, well, definitely nothing else, knows how to film a disaster scene, and this movie is obviously chock full of them. It’s the people he has trouble filming.

The Patriot: Roland Emmerich (Independence Day, 2012, Universal Soldier) was forced to direct a few scenes in this that conveyed emotion, so it didn’t go so well. The battle scenes are ok, if a little cookie-cutter.

Point: Independence Day

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Story

Independence Day: Aliens intend to invade Earth and drain the planet of its natural resources, but are defeated by Jeff Goldblum’s laptop.

The Patriot: A war veteran is too much of a wuss to fight in the Revolutionary War until his son joins up. Stuff happens blah blah blah and he has to take bloody revenge against a British cartoon villain.

Point: The Patriot

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Effects

Independence Day: Say what you want about the script, but the visual effects were top-notch, particularly the initial destruction scenes, which were done practically, for the most part.

The Patriot: Mostly cannonball debris.

Point: Independence Day

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Music

Independence Day: Composed by David Arnold, who went on to do a slew of Bond films. It’s not bad and has a nice brooding danger element to it mixed with jingoism.

The Patriot: The Patriot was surprisingly scored by the infallible John Williams, so of course it’s very good. It kind of sounds like if Indiana Jones was set in the late 1700s with a lot more flutes.

Point: The Patriot

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Awards

Independence Day: Won: Best Visual Effects Nominated: Best Sound

The Patriot: Nominated: Best Cinematography; Best Music, Original Score; Best Sound

Point: Independence Day

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Legacy

Independence Day: Extremely dumb but a lot of fun with a plethora of memorable quotes, Independence Day proved once and for all that Hollywood can make a blockbuster movie that doesn’t have to make sense or give the audience any connection to the characters and it can make gobs of money as long as the special effects overwhelm all your other senses.

The Patriot: Nobody remembers this movie. The only reason I remember it is because I saw a giant billboard on the side of a building for it every time I took the train into Manhattan for my college internship.

Point: Independence Day

 

Freedom over alien oppressors trumps freedom over British oppressors! Although they are both still a constant threat. Happy 4th of July!

What do you think? Did we score the fight fair? Which movie won on your scorecard?