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Independence Day: Resurgence

24 June 2016English2hPart 2 of the Independence Day series
ActionAdventureSci-Fi
out of 10
Mixedlukewarm or divided
Monk Score · 7 scored reviews · 2 not rated

Big spectacle, thin plot: a visually loud but creatively hollow sequel.

Verdict tier Mixed, lukewarm or divided, on a scale of Unfavorable, Mixed, Recommended, Exceptional.

  • Praised: large-scale visual spectacle
  • Criticised: weak plot and formulaic destruction

Audience

User score 4.0 out of 10 from 3 ratings, not enough ratings for a verdict yet
Read 1 audience review ↓
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Critic consensus

What 9 critics are saying

Critical reception for Independence Day: Resurgence skews negative to mixed, with most reviewers finding it a disappointing follow-up to the 1996 original. The film's large-scale visual effects and spectacle on the big screen drew qualified praise from a handful of critics. However, the majority pointed to a weak plot, formulaic destruction sequences, clichéd dialogue, and a lack of originality as significant flaws, with several noting that contemporary audiences have already seen similar spectacle done better elsewhere.

How the 7 scores spread

2 not-rated reviews aren't plotted

Positive / mixed / negative reviews

Positive = 6.5/10 and up · negative = below 5/10

AI-generated summary of 9 critic reviews · may contain errors

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From the papers

Critic reviews (9)

Top critics first, then by score · not-rated last · updated

  1. Top critic

    Indian Express

    Film review ·

    Some of the fights are impressive, most of the destruction routine and a large part of the dialogue perfunctory.

  3. Times Of India

    Film review ·

    ...if you enjoy formulaic chaos and are fine with cliched celebration of human resilience, this one's quite engaging. We wish there was at least one iconic scene though. The stuff that Marvel offers you in abundance.

  4. Mid-Day

    Film review ·

    'Resurgence' is surely attempting to do a 'Jurassic World' for the franchise but this Roland Emmerich helmed sequel appears to have delayed it's coming by a good ten years. The current generation has already seen countless repeat and reprise efforts from contemporary spectacle specialists so this one doesn't quite have the blistering genre redefining power that the original did. The irreverence involved in the monument trashing on display here makes it all seem quite ridiculous, fanciful and tends towards tedium. To the extent that even a short 120 minute runtime begins to feel a little long in the tooth!

  5. TheStatesman

    Film review ·

    Even with all the visual splendours and magnanimous amount of destruction shown on the screen , something that is expected out of a Roland Emmerich film, the lack of a strong plotline, and mediocre dialogues make it rather weak sequel. No amount of glorious digital details will make it any less of a disappointment for the fans of the first Independence Day, which even after two decades seems to be the better one of the two-film franchise.

  6. Rediff

    Film review ·

    Independence Day: Resurgence only reiterates one thing. Be it alien, superhero, monsters or natural calamity, the blockbuster factory acts on the same pig-headed formula of mindless explosion, collapsing buildings, vast amounts of rubble and everything going up in a giant ball of smoke.

  7. India

    Film review ·

    Visually, this film does not offer anything novel. The CGI heavy frames with 3D effects, over a period of time, get tedious because most of the action has been seen in recent disaster films.  The set-action sequences too are nothing to write home about. And the alien 'Queen' ship though gigantic, is pretty unimpressive.  Overall, "Independence Day: Resurgence" is a huge disappointment.

  8. BookMyShow

    Film review ·

    Watch it for the VFX and for a few good light-hearted moments that will make the movie more real. Watch this one for the whole 20-years-ago-and-now nostalgia. It makes for a good weekend watch with friends…and family – if your family loves good action-packed films.

  9. LiveMint

    Film review ·

    Independence Day: Resurgence is so contrived and slow-witted a sequel that it's making me reassess my fondness for the 1996 film.

From our readers

Audience reviews (1)

3 ratings · user score 4.0

  1. Pranay JalviDec 2016
    7/10

    Independence Day: Resurgence doles out the action and effects work in carefully measured, incremental doses, which give the film a cumulative tension almost despite itself. Even if it's hokey and jokey, this is a loud, effects-driven piece, with a driving score. For fans of Roland Emmerich disaster movies, it both hits all the marks, while delivering nothing new. Yet in today's global marketplace, that should be enough to deliver the commercial payload. Roland Emmerich with his always delivering disaster movies (The Day After Tomorrow, 2012,White House Down) delivers another one. I would go with 3.5/5 for this good enough, not so special sequel.

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