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Independence Daysaster
Independence Daysaster
Independence Daysaster
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Independence Daysaster
Written by
  • Sydney Roper
  • Rudy Thauberger
Directed byW.D. Hogan
Starring
Music byMichael Neilson
Country of originCanada
Original languageEnglish
Production
Executive producers
ProducerJohn Prince
CinematographyMichael C. Blundell
EditorChristopher A. Smith
Running time90 minutes
Production companies
Original release
NetworkSyfy
ReleaseJune 27, 2013 (2013-06-27)

Independence Daysaster is a 2013 Canadian science fiction action television film directed by W. D. Hogan and stars Ryan Merriman and Tom Everett Scott. The film premiered on June 27, 2013, on Syfy[1] and was released on DVD on May 27, 2014.[2] The film is a mockbuster of the 1996 film Independence Day.[3]

Plot

[edit]

In Moose Ridge, Oregon, Andrew Garsette, his two friends, Nick and Eliza, and his uncle Pete, a local firefighter, prepare to meet Andrew's father and Pete's brother, U.S. President Sam Garsette, who is coming home for the Fourth of July celebrations. Sam approaches on Marine One, but it is unexpectedly rerouted to nearby Dixon Airbase. Meanwhile, SETI scientist Celia Layman is informed of a mysterious signal heading somewhere and being sent back.

Suddenly, alien machines begin drilling through the surface from underground, and more alien machines shoot from the sky; both types of machine appear in various locations around the world. Pete convinces Secret Service agents to take the children away while he attempts to help the townspeople. He finds Celia broken down on the side of the road and reluctantly agrees to take her into the town, but finds it destroyed and proposes heading to Dixon. Sam orders Vice President Dennis Brubaker and General Moore not to engage the ships without intel. However, Marine One is hit and crashes, leading Brubaker to presume Sam dead as he and Moore escape Washington, D.C. before it is destroyed.

Brubaker and Moore arrive at Dixon Airbase, where Brubaker is forced to take over the presidency. With the reluctant approval of base officer Spears, Brubaker authorizes an Air Force counterattack. Meanwhile, the Secret Service convoy is hit; the agents are killed and Nick is injured. Andrew, Eliza and Nick reunite with Pete and Celia; they witness a dogfight between aliens and fighter jets. The jets are easily decimated, whereas Pete manages to down one drone with Celia's phonon-emitting device. They reach Dixon and attempt to get help, but when a large ship emerges, Nick is abducted and presumably killed. Pete and Celia discover that the device disables the aliens by disabling their connection with the alien mothership. They collect an alien battery, and witness more drones bringing wreckages back to the mothership. When another wave of aliens attacks them, the device, given more power by the battery, downs all of them with one pulse.

Having survived his crash, Sam encounters Todd, a computer genius, who manages to contact Dixon with the help of his friend Leni, confirming Sam's survival to Brubaker, who reveals that the base's scientists have discovered the alien mothership near the Moon. Sam again refuses to order an attack on it; the connection is disabled, and Brubaker authorizes a nuclear missile strike on the ship. However, the drones surrounding the ship intercept all the missiles. Moore realises that the drilling machines are emitting a gas that is fundamentally changing Earth's atmosphere; Earth will become uninhabitable to human life in days.

Sam is found by Pete's group, and they devise a plan to defeat the aliens by letting a drone take the device up to the mothership and activate it with a satellite signal, disabling all the drones' connections. Sam then contacts Spears, as Dixon is attacked, ordering another missile strike, but Spears tells Sam that missiles can now only be launched from the silos directly, before she, Moore and Brubaker are killed. En route to a nearby satellite base, they are attacked again. Celia sacrifices herself, allowing the drone to take the device to the ship. Sam contacts a team of Army Rangers and orders them to launch the missiles. As the missiles are launched, Andrew, Eliza, Todd and Leni attempt to send the signal, but it is cut by another alien ambush. Pete manages to destroy it by igniting his truck's fuel with a Roman candle and repair the lines, allowing the kids to resend the signal. When the missiles approach the ship, most of them are again intercepted by drones, but the remaining ones are disabled when the signal successfully activates the device, allowing one missile to reach and destroy the ship. The ship's destruction resembles a giant firework explosion.

The film ends with a larger alien fleet approaching Earth.

Cast

[edit]

References

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Independence Daysaster

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from Grokipedia
Independence Daysaster is a Canadian action directed by W.D. Hogan. The story centers on a small-town , his brother the U.S. President, and a SETI scientist who collaborate to activate experimental phonon-emitting technology and repel a massive that strikes on the Fourth of . Produced as a original movie, it blends elements of disaster cinema with extraterrestrial threats, emphasizing high-stakes heroism amid widespread destruction. Written by Sydney Roper and Rudy Thauberger, the screenplay draws inspiration from classic tropes while incorporating themes of unconventional alliances and technological ingenuity. The principal cast includes as firefighter Pete Garsette, as U.S. President Sam Garsette, and as SETI scientist Celia Leyman, alongside supporting performances by and Keenan Tracey. Filmed in Vancouver, , the 90-minute feature was produced by Cinetel Films, Independence Day Productions, and Reel One Pictures, with a focus on practical effects and CGI for its invasion sequences. It premiered on the network on June 27, 2013, targeting audiences interested in low-budget sci-fi spectacles. Upon release, Independence Daysaster garnered largely unfavorable reception for its formulaic plot, uneven pacing, and subpar , earning a 3.5 out of 10 rating on from 1,504 user votes as of November 2025. On , it holds a 21% audience score based on fewer than 50 ratings as of November 2025, with the single critic review noting its lack of engagement compared to landmark films like Independence Day.

Production

Development

Independence Daysaster was developed as a original movie, announced in spring 2013 as part of the network's summer programming lineup featuring low-budget action films. Positioned as a homage to the 1996 blockbuster Independence Day, the project aimed to deliver a timely story tied to July 4th celebrations. The screenplay was written by Sydney Roper and Rudy Thauberger, centering on a rogue SETI scientist and small-town heroes combating extraterrestrial attackers using experimental technology. W.D. Hogan was selected to direct, drawing on his experience with prior originals including Behemoth (2011), a creature-feature , and Earth's Final Hours (2011), which explored apocalyptic threats. The production operated on a budget of approximately $1.8 million, with significant portions dedicated to for alien ships and destruction sequences, alongside practical sets for small-town environments. served as producer, with the film handled by Canadian entities CineTel Films, Independence Day Productions, and Reel One Pictures, leveraging local tax incentives for efficiency.

Casting and crew

The lead role of Pete Garsette, a small-town , was given to , selected for his prior experience in science fiction and action genres, including roles in and , which prepared him for the film's green screen-heavy sequences. was cast as President Sam Garsette, Pete's brother, after being drawn to the script's high-concept premise and Merriman's early attachment to the project; Scott noted the role's appeal in blending presidential authority with familial stakes. The supporting cast featured Canadian actors, reflecting the film's production in , . Andrea Brooks portrayed Eliza, a key ally in the resistance effort, while played Celia Leyman, the rogue SETI scientist central to the plot's technological solution. Keenan Tracey appeared as Andrew Garsette, the young family member caught in the invasion, and as Dennis Brubaker, a military figure aiding the protagonists. Behind the camera, W.D. Hogan directed the film, leveraging his background in to handle the sequences. Michael Neilson composed the original music, contributing to the tense, action-oriented score. Michael C. Blundell captured the production's blend of practical and digital effects, and editor Christopher A. Smith assembled the fast-paced narrative within the film's limited shooting schedule.

Filming

Principal photography for Independence Daysaster took place primarily in , , , which served as a for the fictional town of Moose Ridge, Oregon. The shooting schedule spanned three weeks in early 2013, following one week of preparation, allowing the production to wrap in time for ahead of the film's June 27 premiere on . Scenes involving alien ship interiors were filmed on soundstages, while exterior July 4th celebration sequences utilized local parks and urban areas to depict small-town America. The film's visual effects heavily relied on computer-generated imagery (CGI) to create the alien drones, mothership, and invasion sequences, supplemented by practical effects such as foam cannons for debris and controlled explosions for destruction scenes. With a production budget of $1.8 million, the low-cost constraints necessitated extensive green-screen work and limited night shoots, often compressing key sequences—like the presidential address—into brief daylight windows of about . Actors reported challenges in visualizing CGI elements against serene real-world backdrops, requiring reliance on the director's guidance and enhancements. Post-production, including the integration of CGI and , was completed efficiently within months, enabling the film's timely broadcast debut.

Plot and cast

Plot summary

The film is set on July 4th in the small town of Moose Ridge, , where residents are celebrating Independence Day with parades and festivities. Rogue SETI scientist Celia detects anomalous alien signals from , which she verifies independently, alerting authorities just as the commences. Massive drilling machines emerge from underground to burrow through cities, accompanied by swarms of destructive drones that target global , causing widespread chaos and disabling communications and military defenses. Firefighter Pete Garsette, a in his hometown, witnesses the initial attack during the local and rushes to aid civilians amid the destruction. His brother, President Sam Garsette, is en route via for a public appearance, but the helicopter is shot down by the aliens, stranding him near the town with limited resources, from which he assumes command. Pete reunites with his nephew Andrew, the president's teenage son who was visiting for , as the family becomes central to the resistance efforts. Teaming up with Celia, who possesses crucial knowledge of the signals, the group discovers the aliens operate via a collective hive-mind linked to a massive mothership in orbit. They race to activate an experimental device capable of emitting phonons to sever these connections, coordinating small-town defenses using improvised weapons like and local hackers to fend off drone assaults. As the invasion escalates, President Sam assumes command from a makeshift base, directing limited counterstrikes while navigating internal threats from a power-hungry eager to authorize premature nuclear launches. Family reunions occur sporadically amid the peril, strengthening their resolve as Pete, , Celia, and supporting locals including a skilled young fortify Moose Ridge against probing attacks. The climax unfolds with the team successfully deploying , disrupting the hive-mind and enabling a targeted on the mothership, which temporarily repels the invaders and saves from immediate annihilation. However, the film ends on a teaser, revealing radar detections of a much larger alien fleet en route, hinting at future threats.

Cast

ActorRoleDescription
Pete GarsetteSmall-town firefighter and protagonist.
President Sam GarsetteU.S. President and Pete's brother.
ElizaLocal resident aiding the group.
Celia LeymanRogue SETI scientist.
Keenan TraceyAndrew GarsettePresident Sam's son and Pete's nephew; young hero.
Dennis Brubaker of the .
The family dynamics among the Garsette characters—Pete, Sam, and Andrew—play a central role in the . Additional minor roles include Casey Dubois as Nick Miller and Iain Belcher as Todd.

Release

Broadcast

Independence Daysaster premiered on the channel on June 27, 2013, at 9:00 p.m. ET/PT as an original television movie. The broadcast was part of Syfy's summer lineup of low-budget sci-fi disaster films, strategically timed just one week before the 4th Independence Day holiday to leverage thematic parallels with narratives. The film, with a runtime of 90 minutes, was edited to accommodate commercial breaks typical of Syfy's original movie slots. Promotion for the premiere included online trailers highlighting the extraterrestrial threat and action sequences, alongside previews in entertainment media that emphasized its homage to classic disaster tropes. Following the U.S. airing, the movie received limited international broadcasts in select markets, primarily on Syfy-affiliated sci-fi channels. The initial broadcast drew 1.3 million total viewers.

Home media

The DVD release of Independence Daysaster occurred on May 27, 2014, distributed by Lionsgate Home Entertainment in the Region 1 format. The edition included standard features such as trailers and scene selection, reflecting its status as a title with a runtime of 90 minutes and a PG-13 rating. No Blu-ray edition was produced for the North American market, consistent with the film's low-budget production. Digital distribution followed the DVD launch, with the film becoming available for rent or purchase on platforms like starting in 2014. By the mid-2010s, it was also accessible for free streaming with ads on services such as and Plex, expanding its reach as an on-demand title without a major theatrical run. International home media releases were limited, primarily through PAL-format DVDs in and bundled editions in as part of North American distribution. A German-dubbed Blu-ray version titled Battleforce - Angriff der Alienkrieger was released earlier in 2013 by a local distributor, marking one of the few international physical variants. Overall performance was modest, typical for a Syfy original , with no publicly reported blockbuster figures but steady availability in budget bins and online marketplaces.

Reception

Critical response

Independence Daysaster received mixed to negative reviews from critics. As of November 2025, Rotten Tomatoes lacks a Tomatometer score due to insufficient reviews (1 critic review) and has an audience score of 21% based on fewer than 50 ratings. On IMDb, it holds a user rating of 3.5 out of 10 from 1,504 votes. Critics frequently highlighted the film's low-budget CGI as a major flaw, describing the as poor and reminiscent of outdated . The predictable plot, often labeled a of Independence Day, was criticized for its generic script, lack of originality, and heavy reliance on familiar tropes without deeper narrative innovation. Weak , particularly in ensemble scenes involving government officials and civilians, was another common complaint, with performances seen as uninspired and lacking dramatic weight. Some reviewers praised the film's fast-paced action sequences, noting that the story launches into high-stakes events quickly within the first . The holiday tie-in, leveraging Fourth of July imagery for an invasion scenario, added a layer of thematic appeal tied to its punny title. In a positive outlier, Horror News Network called it "AWESOME!! A little bit ID4, a little bit War of the Worlds, and a little bit !" and rated it 8 out of 10 for its entertaining blend of influences and decent CGI alien ships. Conversely, critiqued its "sloppy screenwriting" and "lack of imagination," emphasizing the film's failure to elevate its B-movie premise beyond clichés. Influx Magazine described it as "quite entertaining, in a sort of way," awarding a 7 out of 10 despite acknowledging the silly science and unremarkable effects. Overall, the consensus positions Independence Daysaster as a fun, mindless Syfy guilty pleasure suitable for casual viewing, rather than a serious entry in the sci-fi genre.

Viewership and commercial performance

Independence Daysaster premiered on Syfy on June 27, 2013, attracting 1.3 million total viewers, which exceeded the average for the network's non-Sharknado original movies at the time but remained modest overall. For context, this figure was comparable to other recent Syfy originals like Battledogs (1.5 million viewers) and slightly above Chupacabra vs. the Alamo (1.2 million), highlighting its solid but unremarkable performance within the genre. The film's production budget was $1.8 million, a typical low figure for Syfy's original telefilms, with no theatrical as it was made-for-TV. Filming in , , allowed it to benefit from Canadian tax credits, which supported the local by offsetting labor and production costs through refundable incentives. Detailed revenue from TV rights and subsequent DVD sales, released on May 27, 2014, is not publicly available, though such Syfy productions generally recoup costs via broadcast licensing and ancillary markets given their targeted audience. In terms of legacy, Independence Daysaster has garnered a minor following among fans of Syfy's B-movie output, akin to mockbusters like Atlantic Rim, with occasional reruns on the network during holiday programming blocks. Post-2020, its availability on free ad-supported streaming platforms such as and Plex has sustained niche viewership without leading to major awards, sequels, or broader cultural impact. The film's critical panning limited its long-term buzz, confining its appeal to enthusiasts of low-budget sci-fi.

References

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  5. https://www.imdb.com/title/tt2645670/fullcredits
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  9. https://scifivision.com/interviews/1634-ryan-merriman-a-tom-everett-scott-independence-day-saster
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  20. https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/tv/tv-news/tv-ratings-sharknado-draws-14-million-syfy-584613/
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  27. https://www.ebay.com/itm/174757562678
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  30. https://horrornews.net/85700/film-review-independence-dayaster-2013/
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  32. https://influxmagazine.com/independence-daysaster-tv-movie/
  33. https://variety.com/2013/tv/news/twitter-darling-sharknado-draws-1-4-million-for-syfy-1200562062/
  34. https://www.digitalspy.com/tv/ustv/a498172/sharknado-tara-reid-flying-sharks-film-attracts-14m-on-syfy/
  35. https://www.imdb.com/title/tt2645670/reviews/
  36. https://tubitv.com/movies/539674/independence-daysaster
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