Can anyone still blame Will Smith for turning down this
movie? He probably took one look at this script and said: Nope.
Independence Day Resurgence starring Liam Hemsworth, Jeff
Goldblum, Jessie T. User, Bill Pullman, Maika Monroe and directed by Roland
Emmerich. The film is the sequel to the 1996 giant blockbuster Independence
Day. It tells the story of a new Alien invasion set twenty years in the future
were the Earth has been preparing for another attack. The Earth has been at
peace since the previous invasion and all of mankind has worked in harmony to
prepare for the next battle.
I was on board with this film from the first trailer. I love
the first Independence Day, not because it is a good movie, but because it is
just a fun 90’s action science fiction adventure. Resurgence tries to capture
some lost 90’s magic and it just misses the mark. The action in the movie is
still really well done, and I enjoyed watching the film. I also laughed out
loud on numerous occasions where the story makes zero sense. This film is going
to be a guilty pleasure of mine, because while it is not a good movie, I still
enjoyed watching it, and can sadly see myself watching it again. Maybe it has
something to do with the expectations I had going into the film. I wasn’t
expecting a great film, I wasn’t even expecting a good one from the trailers. I
just wanted to watch Aliens blow up for two hours.
For the most part that is exactly what I got, because the
story is the weakest part of the entire movie. The original Independence Day
had a weak story in parts as well, but nothing to the degree of Resurgence.
There are characters and stories in the film that could have been completely
taken out and the movie would have been a little bit shorter, and probably
better. Judd Hirsch is a great example of this. Yes I’m glad we got to see Jeff
Goldblum’s characters dad again, but his story is a total waste in the film. It
wasn’t needed and every time they would flash to his story I kept expecting
something to pay off from it, but it never did. It almost seemed Emmerich
wanted to have the exact same number of story lines he had in the original and
doggedly keep to that number. At least Hirsch did well in playing the role.
Going into the film the acting was what I was most worried
about. I felt the older actors like Goldblum and Pullman would handle their
roles well, but I wasn’t sure about the young cast. Maybe it was my extremely
low expectations, but I wasn’t bothered by anyone’s performance. No performance
was as bad as any live action character in the Warcraft movie, and going in I
was expecting those types of cringe worthy performances. I thought the worst of
the bunch was Usher who played Dylan Hiller. He was still at least serviceable.
I actually found myself enjoying Liam Hemsworth character. He was one
dimensional, but I thought he did a good job in the role and was charismatic. Hemsworth wasn’t given much to work with in
the script or story, and I can’t fault him for that. He did the best with what
he had, which I think most of the cast did. I think the standout of any
performance was Maika Monroe who played Patricia Whitmore. I liked her interactions
and believability in the story, except for a few scenes with Bill Pullman.
I was let down the most by some of the older cast. Goldblum
did a passible job in playing David Levinson again, but how he was used in the
story was almost pointless. They also don’t have the Margaret Colin, who played
his wife in the original, in this movie. Emmerich doesn’t bring her up at all
which was a huge misstep in the story. That was a major plotline in the first
movie, and not to mention it at all is extremely poor storytelling for a sequel.
At least say she died of cancer, or is in China as a government liaison or
something. The movie was obviously playing to the Chinese market they could
have easily pandered to them again with this as well.
Don’t get me wrong, having a diverse cast is a good thing.
This movie has an inclusive cast, and that is one thing the movie gets right. Resurgence
feels more like it is a world struggle against the Aliens than just the
Americans leading the charge. Granted everyone looks to our President to make
the ultimate call, but hey we figured out how to bring down the first Alien
mother ship, we should have more control… Shouldn’t we? I just didn’t like the
overt product placements trying to sell to the Chinese market, but I don’t like
overt product placements trying to sell to the American market either. I don’t
mind product placement in movies, just don’t make glaring.
Independence Day Resurgence isn’t a good movie. I did have
fun watching it though, and I could see myself guiltily watching it again for a
good laugh. Everyone who complains and hates on this movie is going to be
justified because it isn’t good. It includes stories and characters it shouldn’t,
and has way too many convenient coincidences to overlook. The finale is drawn
out too long, and the emotional payoff is no were near as satisfying as the original.
That being said for me it was Worth Seeing because I love the first movie, but
for most people don’t bother, unless you just love pure action. I can’t see
another sequel happening but we will see how the film preforms internationally.
Tell me what you think of
Independence Day Resurgence, if you made it out to see it. What is your
favorite 90s action movie? Comment and let me know.
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