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Independence Day: Resurgence poster

CAST
JEFF GOLDBLUM
LIAM HEMSWORTH
ANGELABABY
WILLIAM FICHTNER
VIVICA A. FOX
CHARLOTTE GAINSBOURG
JUDD HIRSCH
MAIKA MONROE
DEOBIA OPAREI
BILL PULLMAN
BRENT SPINER
JESSIE T. USHER
SELA WARD
NICHOLAS WRIGHT

BASED ON CHARACTERS CREATED BY
DEAN DEVLIN
NOAH EMMERICH

SCREENPLAY BY
DEAN DEVLIN
ROLAND EMMERICH
JAMES VANDERBILT
JAMES A. WOODS
NICOLAS WRIGHT

PRODUCED BY
DEAN DEVLIN
ROLAND EMMERICH
HARALD KLOSER

DIRECTED BY
ROLAND EMMERICH

GENRE
ACTION
ADVENTURE
SCI-FI

RATED
AUS:M
UK:12A
USA:PG-13

RUNNING TIME
120 MIN

INDEPENDENCE DAY: RESURGENCE (2016)

Bigger but not necessarily better sequel to the 1996 smash, Independence Day: Resurgence takes advantage of the advancements in VFX technology, yet is missing that movie star performance that prevents it from becoming a rabble rouser.

For all intents, Independence Day was the movie that made mass destruction on the big screen “cool”. Every comic book movie, every fighting giant robot smash ‘em up, and every disaster film that featured that one key scene of wanton mass destruction, can be pin-pointed to that now iconic moment of the White House destroyed by alien invaders. It was an awe-inspiring spectacle that had mouths a-gap, and still looks great now.

MMR Awards Top 150

20 years later, Independence Day: Resurgence doesn’t quite have the same effect. Too much time and too many blockbusters have diluted the capacity to astonish the same way the first Independence Day did. But that doesn’t mean this sequel doesn’t have fun while attempting to do so, with director Roland Emmerich doing Roland Emmerich things by going all out in his continued tale of mankind vs alien, resulting in popcorn munching entertaining of the OTT kind.

Plot wise the film is set 20 years after mankind won round one in this intergalactic slugfest, with the world now something of a utopia with world peace achieved (after all, why fight amongst ourselves when there are laser shooting aliens to worry about?), and technological advancements are far beyond the latest iPhone release.

Secure in their defence systems against any potential future attack, the good people of Earth are given a rude awakening when E.T. and friends return bigger, badder, and with their sights set on ripping the world apart. Never backing down from a fight, a brave band of heroes take on the threat. Among them are returning characters Dr. David Levinson (Jeff Goldblum), President Whitmore (Bull Pullman), and wacky scientist Dr. Okun (Brent Spiner). They are joined by new additions Jake Morrison (Liam Hemsworth), Patricia Whitmore (Maika Monroe), and Dylan Hiller (Jessie T. Usher), survivors of the first alien invasion turned fighters with an axe to grind.

Missing in the cast list is Will Smith (a $50 million demand for this film and a sequel will do that.) Like a looming shadow Smith’s absence in felt throughout, for while Independence Day: Resurgence has much in the way of larger than life visual effects, lacking is a much needed dose of personality that a movie star like Smith could have brought to the proceedings (much like he did in the first movie).

Instead a hodgepodge of performances is found. Jeff Goldblum does his things with ease, Manika Monroe is disappointingly dull, Jessie T. Usher has too much dweeb to convincingly portray hero, and Charlotte Gainsbourg just seems to be counting the zeroes on her cheque until the next Lars Von Trier project comes calling.

It’s Liam Hemswroth who stands out the most, bringing a certain larrikin spirit in his portrayal of a rebel with a cause (it’s a shame he wasn’t allowed to use his Australian accent to heighten the effect). Will Smith he certainly is not, but a movie star he is evolving into.

Emmerich does his best in distracting the audience of Smith’s absence with one action packed sequence after another. Thankfully they don’t reach the ridiculous gaudiness of his 2012, Emmerich instead delivering scenes of sci-fi action giddiness that amplify his mantra of “more is more” in the best possible way.

Emmerich is by no means Steven Spielberg. But he is much more tolerable than Michael Bay, and that is something worth appreciating.

 

***

 

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