Independence Day: Resurgence (2016)

Movie Info

So win or lose, Earth is pretty much screwed due to the massive size of this ship

Over the past twenty years since the aliens invaded, the Earth has evolved.  Incorporating the technology brought by the aliens, the Earth has entered a new phase with almost universal peace spreading across the planet.  When an alien approaches the moon and is shot down, Earth is unaware if it is part of a new invasion or a separate species…but the original invaders are returning, and they aren’t happy that they lost war.  Earth could be in its final moments if heroes don’t arise!

Directed by Roland Emmerich (who also contributed to the screenplay), Independence Day:  Resurgence is a sequel to the 1996 blockbuster hit.  The film was released to poor critical reviews and failed to be a big success despite the previous film’s massive box office draw.  The film received Razzie nominations for Worst Picture, Worst Supporting Actress (Sela Ward), Worst Director (Emmerich), Worst Screenplay, and Worst Prequel, Remake, Rip-Off, or Sequel.

I saw Independence Day in the theater and thought it was a popcorn movie that forced viewers to suspend so much reality…Independence Day:  Resurgence asks even more from its audience and has a less cohesive plot.

Neat…the newest version of Star Fox!

Essentially the original Independence Day was a disaster film wrapped in a sci-fi-fantasy and this movie tries to emulate the original.  The movie supposes what would happen to Earth after an alien invasion…this part of the film is interesting.  It is essentially what would have happened after Watchmen…would the world come together to fight a universal cause?  This however is paired with a really bad and schlocky sci-fi film that forces reason for the original cast to show up and leads to a battle with a queen alien and a school bus of children to amp-up the action…but only succeeds in making it cheesier.

The cast is also a lot less lackluster than the first film.  Jeff Goldblum, Bill Pullman, Brent Spiner (whose character survived somehow), Vivica A. Fox, John Story, Robert Loggia (in his final role), and Judd Hirsh (who is awkwardly shoehorned into the plot) return from the original with Will Smith’s character being dead.  I don’t really love Will Smith, but he would have helped the lackluster plot.  The newcomers include Jessie T. Usher (as Smith’s son), Maika Monroe, Angelababy, and Liam Hemsworth as the younger generation taking up the fight.  Sela Ward and William Fichtner also join the cast as the President and her successor…it is an ensemble cast which is shoved together for a really over-the-top finale.

Remember in Aliens when Ripley found the alien queen…it’s like that (only lamer)

There are more aliens in this Independence Day.  The aliens join the battle more often on foot than the previous film and you get a very long “Queen Alien” fight that tries to be bigger and badder than Aliens’ alien queen.  The special effects look the same or even worse than the original Independence Day with a lot of green screen work that looks like green screen.

Independence Day might have been a popcorn movie that dragged on too long, but Independence Day:  Resurgence takes the formulaic movie and makes it even more painful.  Granted the original Independence Day ending with the computer virus was pretty lame, but this movie’s weird orb ending was even worse…especially since all parties from all over the world all end up in the Utah Salt Flats together somehow.  The movie was made with sequels in mind, but the so-so performance might have damned it.  I can only hope.

Related Links:

Independence Day (1996)