Because Independence Day in 1996 was a thing, the world continued on that differing timeline until the present day. We already have a female president of the United States, the world has continued to interact peacefully, and technology is far more advanced.
We have a base on the moon now, and it is this base that first spies, and first bears the brunt, of a new alien ‘visitation’.
Blah blah more big cities get destroyed.
Blah blah the United States gets to speak for and act on behalf of everyone else.
Blah blah some young people and some old people wander about scenes before eventually all ending up in the same spot, where someone gives a speech and a Will Smith type makes a key move to save humanity.
I loathed the first Independence Day as lazy common denominator pleasing claptrap. I understand that some enjoyed it ironically and best of luck to you, true alcoholics don’t need to invent more drinking games. But I would venture that the filmmakers might have overestimated the passion for True Fans of what awkwardly became dubbed ID4.
But having most of the same cast and a bunch of newbies including another Random Hemsworth walking about spouting inane dialogue with the conviction of people who realise that they are to be paid a micro-fraction of the special effects budget, is hardly a recipe for success.
While I watched (between fingers massaging my temple) for all I could tell this was the same tripe as the first film without the benefit of being able to claim ‘firsts’.
The scariest and most indelible image I will take away is the suggestion that they are setting up for another sequel. My only hope is that it arrives in another 20 years, and I guess maybe that by then I have contracted dementia.
Final Rating – 5 / 10. Expensively pointless – like someone trying to sell you a plastic bucket for a hundred bucks by calling it a vase.
