On July 2, a giant alien mothership enters orbit around Earth and deploys several dozen saucer-shaped 'destroyer' spacecraft that quickly lay waste to major cities around the planet. On July 3, the United States conducts a coordinated counterattack that fails. On July 4, a plan is devised to gain access to the interior of the alien mothership in space, in order to plant a nuclear missile.
This movie contains 27 potentially triggering events.
There is a few Jumpscares after the hour and before the 90 minute mark with the Alien Head scare being most noticeable
Total Jump Scare Count 4: (2 MAJOR 2 Minor)
MAJOR JUMP SCARES IN CAPITAL LETTERS
(Minor) (1:02:10) (When Steven kneels down, a creepy Alien appears out of the steam)
(MAJOR) (1:20:15) (DURING A SURGERY SCENE ON A DEAD ALIEN, IT'S SKULL SUDDENLY SPLITS OPEN)
(MAJOR) (1:22:15) (A MAN LOOKS THROUGH THE GLASS WINDOW SURROUNDED BY FOG, SUDDENLY DR. OKUN JUMPS OUT OF THE FOG AND SLAMS THE WINDOW)
(Minor) (1:22:39) (The Tentacled Alien suddenly jumps down)
This is set pre-9/11. However, the destruction of the city begins with a skyscraper exploding and the fireball and destruction spreading through the city. Some may find this too close to 9/11 imagery for comfort.
Not exactly but may be difficult for some. A woman, her child, and dog are in a road tunnel as the fire from a blast catches up with them, so they escape through a maintenance door.
Jimmy jokes about kissing b**t. A hillbilly teases Russel by asking him if the aliens probed" him. Jewel is a stripper. A teenager asks his girlfriend if she doesn't want to die a virgin.
Air Force II is knocked out of the sky. Several fighter jets and flying saucers are shot down. Russel deliberately crashes his plane into a flying saucer's city-buster cannon.
Several cities and landmarks (including the White House) are blown to kingdom come by an alien death cannon -- something that was a massive selling point in the film's marketing. Later in the film, the US military retaliate with their own nuclear strike that ultimately fails. SPOILER: The climax ends with a nuclear bomb being detonated within an alien mothership.