Like those pesky aliens returning for round two, it was simply a matter of when for the long-awaited sequel to Independence Day, and with Resurgence, Emmerich delivers a modern-feeling blockbuster that is a good, solid follow-up to the 1996 original. Whilst this movie lacks the daft fun cocky swagger that the first film revelled in so typically of big 90s blockbusters, it has a more grounded straight 2016 approach but with some occasional nicely-placed knowing bits of humour, which fits effectively with the new characters' orphaned-generation theme. Many are bemoaning the lack of Will Smith, but his character's absence is dealt with upfront, quickly and effectively, and the tone of this film is deliberately different anyway, and the cast is generally effective in performance. Whereas the first film's narrative was as precise as a Swiss watch, this time it takes Idiot Plot for granted and relies on some now very familiar sci-fi tropes for new developments, but does so successfully. It also takes the route of The Force Awakens, replaying key beats slightly differently and mixing an old/new cast, satisfying for both nostalgia and new viewers. The alt-world fusing alien tech with Earth's own is interesting, and on the effects front Resurgence goes for scale and awe, often to great effect. This is certainly no cheesy 90s romp with a narrative backbone of steel, but it is a strong, enjoyable modern sequel - and it is to be hoped that it finds a big enough audience to merit the next chapter set up at the end that promises to push the direction of the series even further.
No comments:
Post a Comment