SHOULD I TAKE THE KIDS - Independence Day: Resurgence

THE DETAILS:

Rated PG-13 for sequences of sci-fi action and destruction, and for some language
Running Time: 120 minutes
Genre: Sci-Fi Action
In Theaters: June 24th, 2016
Starring: Liam Hemsworth, Jeff Goldblum, Bill Pullman, Jesse Usher and Maika Monroe
Writers: Nicolas Wright, James A. Woods, Dean Devlin, Roland Emmerich and James Vanderbilt
Director: Roland Emmerich
Format: Standard 2D, film also screening in 3D and IMAX versions.

THE PLOT:

20 years after the “War of ’96,” Earth has enjoyed 2 decades of peace and prosperity. Our technology and defense systems have grown by leaps and bounds, but will it be enough when the aliens return with a much, much bigger ship?

CONTENT:

The events of Independence Day: Resurgence move along too quickly for any of the characters to engage in any drug use or sexual activity (save for a couple innuendos), but they are able to pepper their dialogue with a couple four-letter words and assorted other expletives. Although there are undoubtedly countless lives lost, most of the human casualties take place off screen, from a distance, or behind the cover of giant explosions. A few of the aliens are slaughtered more graphically, resulting in the spilling of much slimy goo.

SHOULD I TAKE THE KIDS:

NO: 6 and Under
Apart from the nightmare fuel of a giant planet-destroying alien spacecraft, there is more than enough bad language for little ears to be exposed to.

MAYBE: 7 to 12
Depending upon the level of profanity you’re comfortable with (we count at least 7 obscenities including 2 S-bombs), most older kids should be able to handle the video-game level violence depicted on screen.

YES: 13 and up
This sequel provides mature teens with a reasonably entertaining 2 hours along with some positive examples of teamwork and acceptance.

Photo: 20th Century Fox

REVIEW:

Most of the surviving characters from the 1996 blockbuster return for round 2, as well as the screenwriting team and director of disaster Roland Emmerich. There have been different reports for why star Will Smith is MIA, but regardless his character has been written out of the franchise. Instead we have 2 new protagonists, Jesse Usher playing the stepson of Smith’s hero, and Liam Hemsworth, who along with his brother seems to be cornering the market on sci-fi action franchises.

This entry could have easily been subtitled The Next Generation, as the offspring do most of the heavy lifting. Jeff Goldblum is mostly on hand to provide his quirky, deadpan sense of humor, Bill Pullman’s ex-president even refers to himself as a “Crazy old man,” and one returning character is given a couple brief scenes before being unceremoniously killed off. One character who actually was dispatched in the first film (Brent Spiner’s looney scientist) is brought back and even delivers a Star Trek reference.

The new faces are all pretty and likable enough, but they lack Smith’s charisma and star power. Fortunately it’s all delivered with some impressive special effects and a knowing sense of humor, lest we take all this doomsday stuff too seriously (unlike a certain superhero movie from this past Spring). They’ve even managed to shave a half-hour off the previous film’s wearisome running time.

Still, the main storyline is borrowed from half-a-dozen other sci-fi adventures (most notably Star Wars) and the subplots are all filler. Emmerich’s features have never been praised for their dialogue, but neither of the two prominent speeches this time around come close to matching Bill Pullman’s memorable “Independence Day” pronouncement.

The tag line for Resurgence reads, “We had twenty years to prepare. So did they.” This description seems just as applicable to the filmmakers.

OVERALL:

Some fun character moments and imposing visuals make for an acceptable, if derivative summer distraction.

GRADE: C

COMPANION FILMS (for viewing with the kids at home):

When it comes to alien invasion films, both versions of The War of the Worlds set a high standard. Younger children should be able to handle the 1953 version, while those looking to increase the tension level may opt for the 2005 remake



Benjamin Spacek has written about film for numerous publications, most notably for the Las Vegas Weekly, where he was a reviewer from 2003-2009. He currently lives in Olympia, Washington with his wife and three children.