It’s strange how often different types of stories intersect thematically. Theme is one of those elements that’s often hidden below the surface. Other fundamentals of storytelling such as characterization, plot, and setting are front and center for the audience to absorb. Viewers have to dig a little deeper in order to uncover the theme if it’s not smacking them in the face. Sometimes theme is extremely important to the story as it may be dense and the plot charged to convey certain ideas. Other times, the theme can simply be a consequence of a plot and is not the most important thing. However, even in these two cases, completely different stories can share a similar theme. This is evident in the film Independence Day and the classic superhero story Watchmen.
Plot wise, Watchmen is all over the place. It has an ensemble cast undergoing completely different storylines. They are only unified in their opposition to Ozymandias, whose plan to end the Cold War involves faking an alien threat so that hostile countries from around the world can join together to combat a shared enemy. While this idea is nuanced and a part of Watchmen’s dense story arcs, it’s actually the main premise behind Independence Day. That film isn’t nearly as complex, and the alien invasion is pretty much the entire plot.
Although one is a big blockbuster action film and the other is a politically charged commentary on superhero stories, they both share this theme in common and essentially give the same message. Obviously, Independence Day wasn’t copying Watchmen. They’re two totally different stories and experiences. But it’s still important to note that even though these stories can face vast differences in so many areas, a theme can still link them, regardless if that was ever intended or not.
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