Independence Day: Resurgence gives fan service after 20 years

Movie Title:     Independence Day Resurgence

Grade:  B-

Rating:  PG-13, 119 minutes

In a Nutshell:    I absolutely loved the 1996 original Independence Day, so I was really excited to see this sequel that we all waited 20 years for.  Was it worth the wait?  Well, yes and no.  It has even bigger aliens, bigger destruction, and bigger action, yet doesn’t quite have the same charm as the first. 

Director Roland Emmerich knows how to pack the screen with action for a fun summer popcorn flick.  Just don't think too hard about the plot.

Uplifting theme: 

• “Have a little faith.” – Julius Levinson (Judd Hirsch)
• If we stand as one, we can do anything.
• “You can thank me later!” – Jake Morrison (Liam Hemsworth)

“I’ll thank you now!” – Dylan Hiller (Jessie T. Usher)

Things I liked:

• Who doesn’t adore Jeff Goldblum?  He carries the movie and seems to be having a good time being back in this story.  Wouldn’t it be fun to see him in the next Jurassic Park movie with Chris Pratt?
• Quite a few other cast members from the original movie joined this sequel: Bill Pullman, Judd Hirsch, Brent Spiner, and Vivica Fox.
• You get to see the aliens up close.   
• See it in 3D if you can.  The opening universe scene is pretty cool.
• Area 51 in Nevada gets a lot of action in this film.  I live in Las Vegas, so one of these days I’ll have to take a drive out there.  I know, I know…you don’t get very far when the officials see you getting near. 
• There are lots of cool space ships and high tech gadgets that the humans have developed since acquiring alien technology from the last movie.
• Deobia Oparei is massive!  And pretty funny.

Things I didn’t like:

• It would have been fun to see Will Smith in this sequel.  He declined the offer, but they show a couple of pictures on walls to acknowledge his character’s accomplishments in the first movie as fan service.
• Mae Whitman played President Whitmore’s little girl in the 1996 movie, so why wasn’t she cast in the sequel as the grown-up daughter?  She’s a fantastic actress and was hilarious in "The Duff."  Sure, Maika Monroe is super cute, but still…
• There are often too many things happening on the screen at once.
• There are too many side characters that we just don’t have time to care about.
• What was supposed to be the big patriotic speech in this movie, fell flat and is completely unmemorable, as opposed to Bill Pullman’s awesome moment in the first movie when he said:

“We will not go quietly into the night.  We will not vanish without a fight!  We’re going to live on.  We’re going to survive.  Today we celebrate our….Independence Day!

• Jessie Usher plays Will Smith’s character’s son from the first movie.  While Will Smith had incredible charisma and added cool energy to the film, Jessie is surprisingly bland.
• Most females are in love with Liam Hemsworth (or his hunky brother), but he kind of plays the same character in every movie he’s in, right?
• Overall, it's pretty messy, both the film and the destruction.

Funny lines:

•  “Shouldn’t we be nervous?” – Jake Morrison (Liam Hemsworth)

“Um, yeah!” – David Levinson (Jeff Goldblum)

• “It speaks!  In English!” –  Dr. Brakis Okun (Brent Spiner)
• “This thing is way cooler than a machete!  (He accidentally fires the alien gun.)  Sorry!  My bad! – Floyd Rosenberg (Nicolas Wright)
• “You don’t want to fly?” – Dylan Hiller (Jessie T. Usher)

“No, I want to shoot!” – Jake Morrison (Liam Hemsworth)

• “There’s a tall, dangly man over there!” – Daisy (McKenna Grace)

“Tall, dangly man?  That’s my David!” – Julius Levinson (Judd Hirsch)

• “You’re grounded until further notice.” – Commander Jiang (Chin Han)

“Can I still watch TV?” – Jake Morrison

• “I was wondering if you’d like to get a drink or fall in love?” – Charlie (Travis Tope)
• “That is definitely bigger than the last one.” – David Levinson
• “Charlie, where are you?” – Jake

“Flying through your worst nightmare.” – Charlie

• “What goes up must come down.” – David
• “Pee your pants?” – Jake

“Uh, yeah!” – David

“Yeah, me too.” – Jake

Interesting lines:

•  “Why are they screaming?” – Patricia Whitmore (Maika Monroe)

“They’re not screaming.  They’re celebrating.” – Dr. Brakish Okun (Brent Spiner)

Inspiring lines:

• “I had 20 years to get us ready and we didn’t have a chance.” – David Levinson (Jeff Goldblum)

“We didn’t then either.” – Thomas Whitmore (Bill Pullman)

• “What we do in the next 12 minutes will either define humanity or finish us.” – General Adams (William Fichtner)
• “I’m not saving the world.  I’m saving you.” – Thomas Whitmore
• “We have to remind them that Earth is not for the taking.” – Dylan Hiller (Jessie Usher)
• “It’s the 4^th of July.  Let’s show them some fireworks.” – Dylan Hiller

Tips for parents:   

•  Profanity.
• There is a massive amount of devastation on Earth, yet you don’t feel invested in any of it, except for one character.  (No spoiler.)
• The aliens might scare young children.
• A couple of inappropriate jokes.