Independence Day: Resurgence
Published January 3, 2017
Film info
- Title Independence Day: Resurgence
- Director Roland Emmerich
- Year 2016
- Run time 2hrs
- Genres Adventure, Action, Science-Fiction
- Tagline We had twenty years to prepare. So did they.
We always knew they were coming back. After INDEPENDENCE DAY redefined the event movie genre, the next epic chapter delivers global spectacle on an unimaginable scale. Using recovered alien technology, the nations of Earth have collaborated on an immense defense program to protect the planet. But nothing can prepare us for the aliens' advanced and unprecedented force. Only the ingenuity of a few brave men and women can bring our world back from the brink of extinction.
Live blog
| Time | Comment |
|---|---|
| 1:23 | Ooh, gorgeous colours in the galaxies. |
| 4:24 | Yea, Will Smith portrait on the wall! |
| 7:23 | “It’s actually working!” That’s a worrying statement. |
| 8:53 | Fichtner! Haven’t seen him in a film for aaages, after dubbing him the man in all the films. |
| 12:07 | They just left that ship there for twenty years? Wowsers. |
| 14:59 | “So he’s shaking hands with the president and I’m stuck on the moon?” |
| 23:20 | The friend is funny. I worry for his safety. |
| 23:48 | “I wondered if you wanted to get a drink, maybe fall in love.” |
| 29:13 | The spaceship tugs with legs are very cool. |
| 30:38 | I’m loving the easy access to the moon. Incredz. |
| 34:10 | Red Arrows for the moon. Moon Arrows! Moon Ten! |
| 42:07 | So, I think I need to become President so I can have access to special bunkers. |
| 43:32 | “They like to get the landmarks.” |
| 51:29 | He did say the best way was to kill from behind. |
| 57:51 | “I’m coming back, I promise you.” Uh oh. |
| 1:07:21 | They seem to think the aliens wouldn’t have learned from last time. |
| 1:09:32 | Yea! Designated survivor! I just watched that TV show. |
| 1:12:20 | They don’t have those lessons on Duolingo. |
| 1:16:45 | Yay for shedding our biological bodies. |
| 1:23:04 | Dammit for when old technology comes to the rescue. Damn you satellites! |
| 1:28:30 | Oof, this film is stressful. |
| 1:33:34 | Salt flats are incredible. |
| 1:36:25 | “We have to wait for the dog? I guess so.” |
| 1:38:28 | Audible rage. |
| 1:50:05 | Why is Paris fine??? |
Conclusions
It’s surprising to me that it’s been so long since the first Independence Day film but I like that one, and I like Emmerich’s work on disaster movie projects, so this was right up my street. In the end, it was very much like the first one, even going so far as to repeat the “we’re going to have to go inside” bit, and the “we’re going to need a volunteer” section.
However, the film did let itself down in a number of places. I thought it was good that they didn’t just pretend life had got back to normal after such a high level alien invasion in the first film. Instead, they utilised the technology the aliens brought and continued to study them long after the fight was over. On the flip side, though, that means the air battle between the high-concept planes and the aliens this time was very Star Wars, laser beams flinging about all over the place, shields up, shields down, that kind of thing.
They also did themselves a dis-service by not hiring Mae Whitman to continue her role as the President’s daughter, when the replacement didn’t seem particularly charismatic or awe-inspiring. The women in this film tried to be kick-ass, but failed with such a rubbish script beneath them. Hemsworth was good though, and there was a good spirit of humour between him and his pilot friend.
It’s a watchable film, but I wouldn’t particularly recommend it and I wouldn’t go out of my way to see it again.
Rating: 3/5
Rating: 3 / 5