In 2016, disaster film legend Roland Emmerich gave audiences Independence Day: Resurgence. As a sequel to the 1996 classic, the film left much to be desired. The film had a 30% score from audiences and critics on Rotten Tomatoes and bombed at the domestic box office. While the film was already a critical and commercial failure, it is one of many examples within the disaster genre.
In many ways, Independence Day: Resurgence highlights the worst cliches and pitfalls within the disaster genre. This Independence Day, here is a rundown of why Roland Emmerich’s reboot was an even worse disaster off the big screen.
Independence Day: Resurgence Had No Compelling Cast
First and foremost, the film inspires no investment from its audience. Major criticism is usually levied at the bland characters, who serve as little more than spectators for the action unfolding around them. Because of this, it’s hard to invest emotionally in the film’s central conflict. Many fans were already upset that Will Smith was not returning to the film, and they were even more upset about the replacement heroes.
Here, Independence Day Resurgence is no exception. Most of its cast comprises generic military recruits, or beleaguered government bureaucrats dragged along on the action. Returning characters such as Jeff Goldblum’s Levinson or Dr. Okun are reduced to shallow parodies of themselves. For the film’s first half, they are given no characterization as they go from set to set piece watching the alien invasion. As such, it’s hard for the average moviegoer to care about what happens.
The Film Had Misplaced Humor
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The next problem with the film is its disingenuous and outright tasteless use of comic relief. While many disaster films are rightly serious with their subject, others lack this dignity. One line featured in virtually all of the trailers was Jeff Goldblum’s line, “They always go for the landmarks,” as the Patronus Towers lands on London Bridge, killing millions. However, the worst offender within the film would be Julius’ subplot as a cranky old man riding through the disaster, which adds nothing to the film’s plot.
This works better in a campier film such as a superhero blockbuster, as our heroes usually protect the city more successfully. Here, however, characters are wisecracking while the world crumbles around them. They themselves do not take the apocalypse seriously, so why should the audience? This, along with the bland nature of their characters, further hinders our ability as audiences to connect.
Independence Day Was Completely Unrealistic
Finally, Independence Day Resurgence lacked realism or believability. To many, this may be an odd criticism for a film about Earth being attacked by a planet-sized UFO. However, the sheer lack of regard for fundamental physics and societal structures does even more to ruin the film’s writing. In the film’s lore, humanity wholly rebuilt into a sci-fi utopia even after destroying every major economic center in the previous installment.
During the invasion itself, things were just as bad. As stated above, a UFO the size of the Atlantic Ocean consumes the planet, which should have caused enough tectonic damage to end things there. Entire cities are somehow uprooted and pulled onto the ship. By the end of the film, after suffering an even worse apocalypse, Okun proudly declares humanity’s plans to go “kick alien ass.” Eight years after the movie bombed, viewers can be assured that those plans won’t come to fruition.
When looking at how not to do a disaster film, look no further than Independence Day Resurgence. Considering the steady decline of the genre since then and the disastrous reception to Emmerich’s spiritual successor, Moonfall, it’s safe to say disaster films will have to learn from this one.
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