By Colm McCall
When the original Independence Day hit the big screen in 1996, it was all but impossible to avoid the phenomenal media attention it was garnering. The hype was simply inescapable. The renowned disaster flick went down in the annals of cinema history for serving fans with a slap-up portion of cheesy sci-fi epicness to curb their appetite long into the future. I remember my brother receiving a deluxe copy on VHS for his 11th birthday- I was secretly jealous as it had the most awesome holographic cover that would change depending on what angle you held it. Twenty years later with the sound of Bill Pullman’s stirring speech from the original movie still echoing in our ears and the memory of that video cover still fondly lingering in my heart, we finally get to see what is in store for the human race.
One of the most noteworthy points about this film is the absence of Will Smith. The fresh prince opted not to be part of the sequel to the film which launched his big screen career. His decision was apparently due to the atrocity that was After earth (2013). Reservations about featuring in another science fiction movie resolving around a father son dynamic was invariably the major deterrent. Fortunately the majority of the rest of the original film's surviving cast return for this awaited outing. Following the universe altering showdown in 1996, earth has upped the ante in regards its space defences. However, their alien enemy have also followed suit. It will now take all of mankind's solidarity and willingness to survive to overcome this latest threat to its existence.
Like many long awaited cash grabbing sequels, this one falls way short of the standard set by the original. Not only was it missing it's star player, it lacked any of it's gritty realism. I know that may sound absurd, especially as the plot focuses on an alien invasion, but in my opinion, the world depicted on screen wasn't one I could become any way invested in. Hollywood fat cats really ought to learn to leave well enough alone. Surely Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull (2008) thought us that much! I saw this film in 3D despite not being a fan of the technology, and admittedly it works very well in parts. But overall, it's reliance on overindulgent explosions couldn't really compensate for it's lack of direct plot or compelling story.
The characters both new and old weren't fleshed out enough to herald any real degree of likability or attachment. There was the inevitable reliance on the stereotypical stock characters- the handsome bad boy (Liam Hemsworth, The Hunger Games 2012), the son who wishes to carry on his father's honourable legacy (Jessie T. Usher, Teenage 2013) and the now deranged former hero (Bill Pullman, Casper 1995). That isn't to say that they didn't perform within the roles they were given, it's just this film lacked any real originality. Unfortunately, it doesn't add anything of any real value to the Independence Day movie brand and will always be in the shadow of its treasured predecessor. Finally, wouldn't it have been far more apt to release this on the 4th of July? Perhaps, the film studio didn't have much faith in the movie's abilities to fend off the threat of the competition. I can only speculate why one wouldn't capitalise on such a glaringly obvious opportunity!
Independence Day: Resurgence scores a generous 5/10 on the MACmeter.
