By Chris Snellgrove
| Published 1 hour ago

“Propaganda” is one of the dirtiest words in Hollywood. Regardless of how they vote, most prefer their movies to be free of any overt political messaging. After all, we get enough of that from our hellish 24-hour news cycle; why would we want to see it on the big screen?

However, some of the most beloved films of the 20th and 21st centuries have secretly served as propaganda. Top Gun is basically one long advertisement for the Navy, which is presented as our only defense against international attackers. Michael Bay’s first Transformers movie is also propaganda, presenting the Army as our main line of defense against enemies both domestic and very, very foreign.

Interestingly, the most successful propaganda film ever made came out in the ‘90s, and it rallied the country together like never before. I’m talking about Independence Day, the rollicking action adventure that had Will Smith punching an alien (maybe it said something about his wife?) and Jeff Goldblum hacking UFOs. Oh, and it had Bill Pullman rallying the entire world together with a speech that had audiences around the world cheering at the screen. The whole thing is so infectiously cool that it’s easy to overlook the obvious: that, from the ground up, this movie is all about how America deserves to rule the entire world.

America (F*ck Yeah!)

Why is Independence Day propaganda, exactly? The most obvious reason is its focus on military might as the only real solution for driving away alien invaders. This isn’t sci-fi like Star Trek, where everything can be solved with peace and diplomacy. It’s not even like Star Wars, in which a coalition of humans and aliens overthrows a fascist Empire. No, this is about how the only solutions to extraterrestrial invasion come in the form of bullets and missiles. Oh, and technology: amid the high-flying internet explosion of the ‘90s, Independence Day posits that a little vibe coding from a quirked-up, military-aligned scientist can instantly overcome the most advanced civilization humanity has ever encountered.

Given the name of the film, it’s no surprise that Independence Day centers on this military supremacy around America. Not in an exclusionary way, of course: characters don’t badmouth other countries, and the film doesn’t portray other nations in a negative light. Instead, it simply situates the United States as integral to the survival and prosperity of the rest of the world. In this light, directly dunking on other countries is unnecessary because the film makes it clear that when the very survival of humanity is at stake, the world will be saved by American weapons, American technology, and gloriously stubborn American gumption.

The Cold War Gets Hot

It’s easy to forget, but Independence Day came out very soon after the Cold War finally ended. That gives the rah-rah propaganda messaging its own special verve, of course. The United States had just effectively defeated its only real existential threat since the end of World War II. Who else, then, could possibly save all of humanity from the deadliest threat since the Soviet Union? Lest that subtlety be lost on viewers, Independence Day drapes itself in flags and patriotic speeches to drive home America’s nascent noblesse oblige: the obligation to use our position as the only dominant world power for good, not evil.

That leads to the obvious question: Independence Day may be blatant American propaganda, but is that an inherently bad thing? Not really. Sure, such cinematic propaganda always runs the risk of glorifying amoral politicians who destroy countless lives while excusing half a century of questionable American interventions and adventurism. But that’s not really the primary thrust of Independence Day. The film arguably serves as a direct extension of the American dream, glorifying the very best the country has to offer. America does not represent a dangerous and nefarious world police in this film; rather, it represents a country that can’t be tamed and will always rise to the occasion in the face of tyranny.

Welcome To Earth

In retrospect, it’s easy for cynics to chalk this up to the pie-in-the-sky idealism of the ‘90s, and that may very well be true. But these days, the heroes of Independence Day are more aspirational and inspirational than ever before. America is bitterly divided along political lines, with people fighting endless culture wars against their fellow countrymen over the stupidest subjects imaginable. It may be simplistic, but Independence Day is a reminder that when the states are truly united, America is unstoppable. If a little bit of celluloid propaganda can help us make our actual future more like the fictional past, a bit of blockbuster propaganda is a small price to pay.

Do you want to experience just how fun propaganda can be? Stoke your own patriotic fervor, or maybe just watch Will Smith punching someone other than Chris Rock? Good news, space cadets: the dream of the ‘90s is alive, right here in your living room. Independence Day is currently streaming on Netflix, and trust me: it’s just as intoxicatingly fun and deliriously dumb as you remember. It may be the most successful propaganda movie ever made, but it’s also an action-packed, weirdly hilarious thrill ride that will instantly appeal to your inner alien lover. Come for the UFOs and stay for the alien autopsy. 

If you want your own anal probe, though, don’t look at me; go ask your partner nicely. Just don’t be surprised if she says “Welcome to Earth” when she does it!