Independence Day
I recently got into a discussion with a fellow writer about stories with multiple layers, subplots, etc. One of the movies we discussed was Independence Day . It had been a while since I'd seen the movie, so I could only make general observations. I couldn't even remember the characters' names - just the actors'. After the discussion, I decided to watch the movie again and do a mind/body/spirit analysis. One of the things I realized in re-watching the movie was how wrong I had been about the main plot - specifically, the "main character." Cinematically, the main character is Capt. Steve Hiller, played by Will Smith. He has all the great lines, is involved in all the action, and has a dominating presence on the screen. The main character of the story, however, is not Capt Steve Hiller. The story is really about David Levinson, played by Jeff Goldblum. David Levinson is a part of every major plot point and is the character who undergoes the great...