Anghus Houvouras on Independence Day: Resurgence and why it looks so boring…
I unapologetically love Independence Day, the 1996 masterpiece of popcorn movie making. It’s one of the best blockbusters ever made. An absolute piece of cinematic perfection when it comes to delivering thrills, chills, and trite melodrama. 20 years later and it’s still a ridiculously fun movie to watch. And I’m willing to cop to every complaint about the film: Yes, it’s stupid. I realize the probability of using a Macbook to infect an alien mothership with a computer virus is about as likely as Vin Diesel winning an Oscar for Fast 8, unless they create a category for the most consistent utterance of the word ‘family’. In spite of antiquated FX work, a plot globbed with thick layers of cheese, and some ridiculous plot conveniences, Independence Day is still a crazy fun experience that makes me stupidly giddy.
So why am I so ambivalent about Independence Day: Resurgence.
I think to explain this properly I need to go back to the beginning when the concept of an Independence Day sequel seemed like a no-brainer.
It was the late 90’s and geeks were gifted with bulletin boards where rabid fans could discuss their favorite movies with the help of 56.6k baud modem. I was the guy back at the advent of the internet film sites who was screaming for an Independence Day sequel. The chatter about subsequent sequels goes all the way back to the BBS boards of the early days of the dial-up hell that was the world-wide web. I loved Independence Day so much that I would weather painfully long load times just to find out what the latest rumors were. Weeks became months. Months became years. And years became decades. For awhile it felt like a new Independence Day movie would never happen. But then nostalgia and the increased value of geek friendly franchises finally brought the idea of Independence Day 2 back to life.
Some people geek out over comic book movies or Star Wars. My geek out moments in the 21st century were the products of hearing the announcement of Tron: Legacy and Independence Day: Resurgence. So right now I should be brimming with the anticipation of a meth addict who happens upon a case of Sudafed. Alas, that is not the case.
What could be the product of this ambivalence? Has it just been too long since the original? Is the lack of Will Smith in the cast leaving me unenthusiastic (more on that in a moment)? The reality is that my consternation is based solely on the tepid, flaccid marketing for the movie.
The original Independence Day had an amazing trailer. The kind that makes the hairs on your neck stand up. Do you remember how good that trailer was? If not, watch it.
Damn. It’s still THAT good. Sure, the voice over is a little heavy handed, but most of that trailer is gold. You get the intensity of Bill Pullman’s rousing speech, Randy Quaid’s brilliant paranoia, and Will Smith’s raw charisma. You also get some amazing iconic visuals that still represent some of the best moments ever in disaster cinema.
Where are these moments in the Independence Day: Resurgence trailer?
The new trailers are so devoid of energy. Bill Pullman is woefully sedate leaving the poor attempts at inspiration to Sela Ward. The guy playing Will Smith’s kid doesn’t have a tenth of his likability. Liam Hemsworth… I know Harry Connick Jr. And you sir are no Harry Connick Jr. The marketing materials spend too much time with Jeff Goldblum, who does a good job of selling the dread of the returning alien armada. However, there’s no ‘oomph’ in these ads. No ‘Hell yeah’ moment that matches the excitement of the original. The finished film might be a different story, but the marketing materials are so bereft of emotion. It’s amazing in a day and age of do-anything FX how can they not create even one iconic visual that stands out among a hundred different shots.
I’m hoping Independence Day: Resurgence is good. I’ve spent two decades as a fan of the original hoping to see another installment. But as of this moment, I’m dreadfully underwhelmed by what I’m seeing. Is it just me?
Anghus Houvouras is a North Carolina based writer and filmmaker and the co-host of Across the Pondcast. Follow him on Twitter.
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https://youtu.be/b7Ozs5mj5ao?list=PL18yMRIfoszEaHYNDTy5C-cH9Oa2gN5ng
Originally published June 11, 2016. Updated April 15, 2018.
