Independence Day: Resurgence
Directed by Roland EmmerichTwo decades after the freak alien invasion that nearly destroyed mankind a new threat emerges. This Alien mothership is more than twice the size as the last one and once again, the world's armies must band together to save the world. Do they have enough firepower or will this battle change and will aliens take over?
Where to Watch Independence Day: Resurgence
Cast of Independence Day: Resurgence
Independence Day: Resurgence Ratings & Reviews
- GBWest6d ago20 years after the first attack, both on the big screen and the audience's wallets, we get a whole new breed of awful. At least it's better than the original breed of awful. Let us not skip out on the government cheese, right from the beginning. Independence Day Resurgence is an unrequested sequel to a poorly made first film that globally has fans for God knows what reason. But, and it's a big but, at least the filmmakers learned not to put the same musical track on a loop for this one. Onto the meat and potatoes of this review. I understand why Will Smith turned down a role in this film and how it affected both him and this production. Will would have been taking a pay cut to do this film. However, for the added star power of he'd returned to reprise his role the production could have gotten more money to make this film. Frankly I'm pleased he chose to pass on it, because more money for more poorly lit green screening would not have made this film better. Okay, so imagine, if you will, that you are chatting with a friend face-to-face and the sun is to your left side (your friends right side). Each of you has half your face in the sun and half in the shade and it will be opposite sides of your faces because you are facing each other. Also, should you be facing the sun and they are facing away then one of you is fully lit while the other is backlit. So tell me why the characters in this film are almost constantly backlit, even when facing each other. It takes me out of the film. CGI, jokes, cinematography inside spaceship sets, all of it was good. The music was good. Character arcs could have used some work so that we have a clue as to who the new people are...granted there is plenty of character arc for the new people in Independence Day Crucible, that is ID4 2's book form. Yes. Yes. Jake and Charlie are central characters in the actual ID4 sequel that we never got because Will Smith said "nah" to reprising his role. Overall, this film seriously lacks something the first film has in spades, real physical sets; while the first Independence Day seriously lacks something this film has in spades, more than one song in the musical score. Overall I give the acting five stars. Character development, three stars. A feel of real stakes and consequences, one star. Computer Generated Imagery, three stars. Composition, one star. Music, four stars. For a book total average of three stars...one and a half stars better than the first one. That's an improvement, no where near great, and still an improvement.
- 匚卂尺ㄥFebruary 12, 2025am a big fan of the original Independence Day and I saw it four times in the theater and at least 3 times a year ever since. I understand that the sequel was not liked by fans and critics alike. I did enjoy Independence Day Resurgence but my feelings are mixed. I have watched it several times to sort out just how I felt about this movie. First of all, I JUST love alien invasion movies and that on its own will already earn some praise from me. One point I want to make is that if a person goes into this movie expecting it to be similar or just like the original ID4 then they are bound to be disappointed. If, however, you approach this with an open mind and accept the movie for what it is…a lighthearted science-fiction action and adventure movie…I think there are things in this film to enjoy. I will review the movie by revealing my pros & cons. Remember, not all pros and cons are of equal value. I will start with the cons first. 1). Too many characters. Its not that I wasn’t able to keep track of them, its just that there were too many to keep track of and that bogged down the story. 2). Not enough tension. I think with the concentration and focus on the many relationships the movie lost a sense of dread and immanent danger annihilation the first movie had. I never had that sense of tension that our characters were in real trouble. 3) Poor pacing. The original was well paced and I think the poor pacing of this movie is due to trying to cram the stories of all the characters within this movie. Now for the pros. 1). I liked the focus on the original characters and it was good to see them back! I specifically liked the performances of Jeff Goldblum, Judd Hirsch and Brent Spiner as Dr. Okun. Spiner’s character had much more screen time and did provide comic relief and was just a hoot. For those who think his character died watch the original once again. As the alien is using him to speak through, Okun’s fingers are against the glass and are moving showing he is alive. Plus, when we first see Dr. Okun in IDR he is shown moving his fingers before he awakes. That is a nice subtle touch! 2). Great Special Effects. I am unapologetic about my love of eye candy known as special effects. This movie was a delight on the eyes and senses and for me that was very entertaining. 3). The Alien Queen. I am also a lover of Kaiju movies (giant monsters) and the Alien Queen was just great as a giant monster…Loved it! 4). More Science-Fiction. i loved how they showed how much the earth has changed due to the incorporation of alien technology on the human race. Although this could also fit under the special effects reasons why I enjoyed the movie, I single this out because it was done so well and it is what made the movie different from the original (in a good way). 5). Action and adventure. This had a lot of action, more aliens, great battles and ton of destruction porn! 6). Decent story. Despite the character overload the story is pretty good. I did care about the characters, I hated to see Jasmine Hiller’s character die, and it was interesting and entertaining how they all got together to save the Earth once more. Sure, I don’t exactly enjoy it as I did the original but this movie does have a lot going for me. I am very certain this alien invasion movie will have repeated viewings in my house.
- Radoslaw StarczewskiJune 19, 2025As a fan of big, bold sci-fi blockbusters, I went into Independence Day: Resurgence knowing it was a sequel and that it might not capture the same magic as the original Independence Day. The first film had that special spark—a mix of groundbreaking visuals, memorable characters, and a sense of awe that made it a classic. This second installment, while not quite reaching those heights, still delivers the kind of over-the-top, world-saving action I personally love. Resurgence picks up 20 years after the events of the first film, with Earth now armed with alien tech and bracing for another invasion. The story leans heavily on spectacle—massive ships, global destruction, and high-stakes battles—and it doesn’t pretend to be anything other than a popcorn flick. Sure, it lacks the heart and charm of its predecessor, and some of the new characters feel like pale echoes of the originals. But honestly? I didn’t mind. The visuals are jaw-dropping, the pace is relentless, and there’s something satisfying about watching humanity band together to fight impossible odds. I’ll admit, the plot isn’t groundbreaking, and it leans on some predictable tropes. But for me, that’s part of the charm of these kinds of movies. I love the chaos, the cheesy one-liners, and the sheer scale of it all. Independence Day: Resurgence scratches that itch perfectly. It’s not perfect, and it’s not as iconic as the first, but I had a blast watching it—and honestly, I’d love to see more films like this. If you’re like me and just want a fun, explosive ride, this sequel is worth a watch.
- Das_LamaJune 8, 2025I know... I know... A lot of sequels are terrible, but this flick is an atrocity. My observations: 1. Unlike the first movie, I had an overwhelming desire to let the aliens know where ALL of the characters in this movie were located in hopes that the aliens would find them and dispose of them properly. 2. This is the first of a series of bad recent alien invasion movies, where I am literally hoping that "bad guys" win. 3. The characters are self-absorbed and annoying, even more annoying than the vegan that tells your five times and hour they are vegan. 4. If this movie was a documentary, I would gleefully send my life savings to a go fund me campaign for aliens. 5. This movie was awful. You'd be better off watching the movie "Civil War", sober.
- parktool69December 1, 2024i liked the aliens
