It's reasonably intelligent. The plot, as simplistic as it is, delves deeper into the mythology of the aliens and what they're really up to in the universe (naturally, setting up a potential new franchise for 20th Century Fox along the way). At the same time, it was nice to see a sci-fi adventure movie at least attempt to respect the laws of physics, especially with regard to the gravity of a much larger alien ship and the wider-scale havoc that it would surely wreak.
It's kind of funny. Without the megawatt charisma of Will Smith (whose character died in the time between these stories), "Resurgence" leans heavily on the considerable charms of survivors David and Julius Levinson (Jeff Goldblum and Judd Hirsch), who bring their quirky family dynamic to the proceedings. Along with the return of Brent Spiner's Dr. Okun, who wakes up from a coma after his alien encounter in the original movie, it's their awkward but endearing neuroses that keep the movie from taking itself too seriously.
It has decent values. The film's emphasis on family and sacrifice is incredibly noble, so it becomes easier to suspend your disbelief at some of the wilder moments. "Resurgence" also earns major points for its elevation of Okun from a one-note kook in the first film to a more developed supporting role. The movie's inclusively nonchalant treatment of his sexuality, as well as the racial diversity of the cast, is truly unique for such a big-budget project. Hopefully, it's a sign of things to come. There's even a female president who gets to exercise power and make tough decisions instead of being used as a bland figurehead to look "hip." Pretty progressive stuff, Hollywood! Now give us more of that, please... and less of whatever the hell those "Fast & The Furious" movies think they're accomplishing.
However...
It's surprisingly dull. For a movie that runs just about two hours, it sure feels longer. The nimble pace and spirit that made its predecessor so successful is largely absent here, which is a big surprise given that director and co-writer Roland Emmerich had the same duties for the sequel. Even worse is that other than Goldblum, Hirsch, and Spiner, the remaining survivors (including previous lead Bill Pullman as ex-President Whitmore) are given very little to do in service of a whole new cast of arguably unnecessary characters. These needless additions are worst personified by Liam Hemsworth (who basically plays the same version of himself in every movie). Why did he get top billing over Goldblum and the rest of the actors? Presumably to draw in the younger crowds, but I digress.
It's uninspired. Hemsworth's character regularly pulls both focus and dialogue away from the person who should have been the sequel's focal point: Jessie Usher, who plays the son of Smith's character. Their roles should have been reversed to make Usher the star; then Smith's heroic legacy would have carried over more directly, in a way that memorializing places with his name doesn't quite capture. Above all, it just would've been more appropriate to the tone of the story to see a black actor (like Smith before him) as the hero who leads others into the fray. And don't even get me started on the presence of and epic battle with the queen alien. It felt so derivative of another big Fox property -- James Cameron's 1986 sequel "Aliens" -- that I kept waiting for the deus ex machina to arrive in a bright yellow power loader. Instead, there's a bright yellow school bus involved (don't ask...)
It tries too hard. Sequels tend to go for a bigger-is-better approach to filmmaking to keep their audiences invested, but this one backfires. The original "Independence Day" was a true blockbuster of the modern era that joined riveting, unprecedented destruction with genuinely heartfelt triumph. This combination has since been repeated but never quite replicated in the new wave of disaster titillation that followed, including Emmerich's own titles "The Day After Tomorrow" in 2004 and "2012" in 2009, not to mention anything in Michael Bay's filmography. Meanwhile, the Oscar-winning visual effects from the first movie are put into overdrive and overkill this time around. The result is unfortunate, especially where the aliens themselves are concerned. Their increased presence in this chapter of the story means there are more of them to be brought to life beyond just their ships, but the original's use of blended animatronics will always be more effective than the rushed, sloppy CGI work on display here. Finally, the protracted climax of the film just piled on the action to the point of me wanting to tune out. In one unintentionally brilliant moment, the stop sign from the aforementioned school bus breaks off and flies toward the screen. That sign should have been read more carefully by Emmerich and company, perfectly summing up my thoughts on the excessive, overindulgent finale.
In the end, what makes "Resurgence" worth your time and saves it from irreversibly sliding into utter failure is its post-9/11 political subtext. The War of 1996 -- as the events of the first movie are called in that universe -- was instrumental in uniting the world by putting an end to our own conflicts. For the record, it would probably take longer than 20 years to rebuild that level of widespread devastation and fully integrate helpful alien technology into key areas of our infrastructure (mainly architecture, transportation, and defense). But a powerful and invaluable sentiment remains: especially in these divisive times of overwhelming unrest, standing together amid global struggles can still encourage humanity to aim for its peaceful best.
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