HORRORESQUE: INDEPENDENCE DAY-RESURGENCE

INDEPENDENCE DAY: RESURGENCE

Fox 2016 color 120 Mins. Sci/Fi-Action/Thriller

Liam Hemsowrth, Maika Monroe, Bill Pullman, Jeff Goldblum, Sela Ward, William Finchtner, Judd Hirsch, Vivica A. Fox, Charlotte Gainsburg and Brent Spiner star.

Written by Nicholas Wright and James A. Woods

Directed by Rolland Emerich

Rated PG-13 for language, violence and adult themes.

Having recently endured the original Independence Day I found myself asking who in the hell wanted to see a sequel. Now 20 years later in an age where we continue to frown upon originality and cash in on unnecessary sequels, reboots and remakes. Here comes "Resurgence" a film that shouldn't work by any means but with the progress in special effects and the long uneven career of Emmerich works surprisingly well. Now I know there's a ton of bad buzz surrounding this thing and truth be told I really did go in with low expectations. But I really did enjoy the hell out of it. The film picks up 20 years after the original with pretty much all of the main returning cast members except for big Will. It focuses on Jeff Goldblum as well as the daughter of the president and the son of Will Smith's character and a few new recruits. In a surprisingly necessary spin the aliens have returned due to a distress call sent out so many years ago. And with advanced technology gained from the first invasion we have to defend our planet once again. Everything makes more sense this time around. The action is aplenty and quite spectacular. The cast may lack the pizzazz of Smith but many forget he wasn't the only one to make things work. Bill Pullman is once again impressive as the now Ex President, Jeff Goldblum and Judd Hirsch are equally as fun as Father and Son Levinson. And as for the new cast members sexy Liam Hemsworth is cocky and likable as Jake Morrisson, Jessie T. Usher is decent as Dylan Hiller and Sela Ward is solid as the president. Brent Spiner also returns as Dr. Brackish Okun waking out of a twenty year coma and in a true sign of the times to his husband. 

And this sequel really does show how much the world has changed since the original was released. Back than it was a surprise that an African american was the main character and could carry such a blockbuster. Now in 2016 this film is flooded with a much appreciated group of diverse characters not defined by their ethnic backgrounds or sexuality or orientation but by who they are. Male and female roles seem almost interchangeable and a big deal isn't made out of any of them. It's an inspired move by Emmerich. Brave and trailblazing in my humble opinion. As for the film there were so many things I really loved about it. I loved how An African tribe had engaged with the E.T's in guerrilla warfare for ten years after the events of the original discovering new more practical ways to destroy them or how the young men and women protecting our planet are orphans of the original attack. There's a lot of good ideas floating around here including one in which a friendly alien species wants to join with humans along with refugees from other civilizations that have been destroyed by our invaders. All in all it's a really fun blockbuster. Surprisingly well executed with a fare but not over abundance of cheese unlike the original. The film lacks a main character and most of the leads are given equal amounts of screen time because there is so much happening. Which both works in the film's favor and against it being that none of the characters are really developed enough to carry the film and that way we can get the best bits out of all of them. It all leads to one hell of a climactic battle with a queen Alien that plays out like the finale of Aliens on steroids. In the end it was really a sequel not many wanted but with that being said they have put together a film that feels surprisingly necessary and is a clear reflection of how far we've come in the cinematic sense as well as the movie's story line. ****.25/5