★★★☆☆
Yet another rehash and recycle exercise by Hollywood ushers in the sequel to Roland Emmerich’s Independence Day, which was released two decades ago. With a strong track record for post-apocalyptic action thrillers as seen in films like 2012 and The Day After Tomorrow, it is perhaps not difficult to anticipate the megatons of world destruction.
Like how the film title suggests, Independence Day: Resurgence sees the alien species returning to invade Earth. With twenty years in between, technology has advanced tremendously for mankind to prepare for the inevitable. Director, writer and producer Emmerich subjects such technology to a trying test by introducing giant scales of assault power.
As technology pursues the route of better faster and smaller (higher specifications and miniaturisation), mankind has always been fascinated with deriving the next breakthrough invention to address current conditions. It is interesting to think of how disruptive conditions may still render such modern technologies futile.
This is seen in Emmerich’s film where a giant alien spacecraft measuring a few continents in diameter enters Earth’s atmosphere and lands to plasma drill. Of course, science and laws of physics may have been thrown out of the screenplay but it is still breathtaking to behold the scene.
“They like to get the landmarks”
Jeff Goldblum’s reprising character David Levinson cheekily remarked at the alien visitors’ travel itinerary. There’s something about seeing the disintegration of Marina Bay Sands and the Petronas Twin Towers being lifted sky-high before crashing into Tower Bridge.
Casting younger new characters played by Liam Hemsworth, Maika Monroe and also Chinese actress Angelababy, mankind’s fight against the aggressors aren’t just by the young and vigorous as the duty is shared with characters that survived the first alien invasion in 1996.
It is this very spirit where every person on Earth unites as one to defend the world against the universe when facing the dire need to survive. This is an ideal situation that is light years away from our world today where politics divide people. Perhaps one may argue that it takes drastic and extreme situations to harmonise differences.
Having a sense of obligation to make the world a safe and better one for the next generation appears to be driving the seasoned veterans to greater heights. Their love for their loved ones is an admirable quality that convinces all to never give up, which is seen during a pep talk by ex-President Whitmore (Bill Pullman).
Strong technicalities are in abundance to cater for solid entertainment. As long as logic and science aren’t used as yardsticks to judge, Independence Day: Resurgence should survive the threats from fellow summer blockbuster contenders.
Also published on InCinemas.sg
(Image source: 20th Century Fox)
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