Resurgence features returning players Jeff Goldblum, Bill Pullman, Judd Hirsch, Brent Spiner, and Vivica A. Fox. While the veteran actors play a large role in the fight, it is also up to the next generation to save the day. The world can rest easy thanks to the efforts of Liam Hemsworth (Red Dawn), Maika Monroe (The 5th Wave), Jessie Usher (When the Game Stands Tall), Travis Tope (Boardwalk Empire), William Fichtner (Prison Break), Charlotte Gainsbourg (Confession of a Child of the Century), and Angelababy (Hitman: Agent 47). While Will Smith isn’t actually in the movie, his presence is definitely felt. Usher does a fantastic job playing Dylan Hiller, the son of Smith’s character from the first film. I think the film would have ultimately benefited from a cameo by Smith, instead of just killing his character off-screen. Goldblum and Pullman once again hold the movie together, and the mesh nicely with the additions of Hemsworth, Usher, and Monroe. Aside from the main plot, Resurgence made several…interesting…choices for supplemental elements to the story.  The inclusion of an African Warlord (played by Deobia Oparei, Game of Thrones) was completely out of left-field. I truly wish that Judd Hirsch had been used in a lesser capacity in this outing (just a short cameo would have been fine), as Julius and his adventures were an unnecessary B-plot which contributed nothing to the film. I also wasn’t a fan of the overly goofy return of Brent Spiner, who miraculously survived the events of the original battle, and manages to significantly increase his screen time in this release.

As expected, Resurgence features notable landmarks getting destroyed, one-liners galore, and miraculous last-minute saves. Visually, the movie holds up to the original. The aliens are impressive, and we get to spend more time with them outside of their ships. The story itself is a bit too convenient, but still manages to be a fun extension of the original story. The one thing that it is lacking compared to the original is heart. With the exception of the returning characters, I felt absolutely nothing for the new cast. The connection that we formed with the players in the first movie was seamless, and all of the events felt extremely realistic. Resurgence is much more by the numbers, and doesn’t quite manage to strike the same chords. While the speech isn’t as powerful as the original, one of the highlights is the new speech from President Whitmore, who helps to rally the troops once more. The fact that the film is timed to take place 20 years after the original is an entertaining aspect, and the story definitely has a more global feel. Without question, there are a few eye rolling bits of dialogue thrown in, but the cheese-ball lines add to the fun of the movie…right?

Overall

Sequels are a tricky thing. It’s rare that a sequel would be better than the original concept, but there are a few that break the mold (The Empire Strikes Back being a perfect example). Resurgence  is a fun throwback to an old property, but it is a story that really didn’t need to be told. If you’ve ever thought to yourself, “gee, I wish they would make a whole SERIES of Independence Day films”, you are in luck. The film is the first installment in a new franchise…and with the rather interesting ending, you can bet that this isn’t the last we will see of the Independence Day aliens.

Are you going to go see Independence Day: Resurgence this weekend? Most likely. While the film isn’t anywhere as good as the original, it most certainly could have been a lot worse. I just hope that the next one isn’t as dumbed-down as this one was.

Rating:
ComicsOnline gives Independence Day: Resurgence 2.5 out of 5 popcorn films.

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