On July 2, a gigantic alien mothership enters orbit around Earth and deploys several dozen saucer-shaped "destroyer" spacecraft, each 15 miles (24 km) in width. As the destroyers take positions over some of Earth's major cities, David Levinson (Jeff Goldblum), an MIT graduate working for a cable company in New York City, discovers hidden satellite transmissions which he believes to be a timer counting down to a coordinated attack by the aliens.
With the help of his ex-wife Constance Spano (Margaret Colin), a senior White House employee, he and his father Jul...