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Parents' Guide to

Independence Day: Resurgence

By Sandie Angulo Chen, Common Sense Media Reviewer

age 12+

Uninspired sequel is dull despite big sci-fi battles.

Movie PG-13 2016 120 minutes
Independence Day: Resurgence Poster Image

A Lot or a Little?

What you will—and won't—find in this movie.

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age 10+

Based on 6 parent reviews

MarvelDAD
MarvelDAD Parent of 9 and 11-year-old
May 28, 2021
age 10+

This movie is basically a natural disastar movie

Jswurd
Jswurd Parent of 12-year-old
April 9, 2017
age 12+

Cheesy story and muffled characters = one messy flop

This movie has its thrills in its giant high octave Si fi battles, but even that doesn't make up for the very cheesy storyline. Te characters don get their full potential and aren't thought out well. There are some creepy scenes and alien blood, along with mass distinction but that's about it.
See all 6 parent reviews

What's the Story?

INDEPENDENCE DAY: RESURGENCE takes place 20 years after the original Independence Day. The world now has a unified international fleet to protect Earth from possible alien threats; a central African tribe is known for having mastered the art of hand-to-hand combat with the aliens, and the United States has imprisoned captured aliens at Area 51. But just as the planet is ready to celebrate the 20th anniversary of the defeat of the alien forces, Dr. David Levinson (Jeff Goldblum) discovers that an even larger "queen" alien and her hive of forces is ready to attack -- and this time, the alien forces seem indestructible. But a younger generation of fighter pilots, including Capt. Dylan Hiller (Jessie T. Usher) -- the son of the now-deceased Marine pilot played by Will Smith in the original -- and his roguish rival, Lt. Jake Morrison (Liam Hemsworth), who's engaged to Patricia Whitmore (Maika Monroe), daughter of former President Whitmore (Bill Pullman).

Is It Any Good?

Our review:
Parents say (6 ):
Kids say (16 ):

This mediocre alien-invasion sequel isn't going to wow anyone who's seen the original, which is a true summer popcorn-flick, with quotable lines and memorable action scenes. It's not that the first Independence Day is a masterpiece by any stretch, but it's fun and loud and audiences felt invested in the various characters and storylines. Independence Day: Resurgence brings back several of the players from the original, but -- except for Goldblum's Levinson -- they aren't the main characters. Instead a group of young pilots serve as the protagonists, with Hemsworth's Jake caught up in a Top Gun-style rivalry with Usher's Dylan, while Jake's fiancee, former First Daughter Patty, worries about her aging father, who -- like many others who survived the '96 alien war -- has a psychic connection to the aliens.

The computer-generated action sequences are big and portray the same sort of mass destruction as the first film, but a movie can't survive without compelling stories and characters. It's a problem when climactic deaths and close calls don't come close to pulling an emotional punch, and the dialogue is filled with trite "we can do it" speeches and "no man left behind"-style rally cries. Younger audiences who just care about the battle sequences may find it adequate, but overall this isn't a satisfying sequel.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Families can talk about the large-scale violence in movies like Independence Day: Resurgence. Is the impact of violence different when it's buildings falling/ships exploding than when it's up close and personal? How does media violence affect kids?

  • The movie is multigenerational and multicultural. How is that fitting with the story? Do you think that gives it a broader audience appeal?

  • Why do you think filmmakers chose to revisit this story 20 years later? Do you think the sequel lives up to expectations?

  • How do the characters demonstrate teamwork? Why is that an important character strength?

Movie Details

Did we miss something on diversity?

Research shows a connection between kids' healthy self-esteem and positive portrayals in media. That's why we've added a new "Diverse Representations" section to our reviews that will be rolling out on an ongoing basis. You can help us help kids by suggesting a diversity update.

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