Independence Day: Resurgence Movie Blurb by Shale June 24, 2016 OK, getting back to my routine of checking out the latest movie opening on Friday. Helps that it was another sunny day to bike the 8 miles to Aventura AMC. This movie picks up in real time, 20 years after the 1996 movie and has some of the characters of that movie in their aged roles. The world that was nearly destroyed in 1996 has come together in the common cause of defending against extraterrestrial invasion and with the use of alien technology the United Nations has developed a viable Earth Space Defense (ESD) capability. There is an outpost on the moon where the daring, risk-taking pilot Lt. Jake Morrison (Liam Hemsworth) is getting another reprimand for not following protocol but saving the station from a disastrous accident. (There's always a Capt. Kirk). Lt. Jake Morrison His GF is Patricia Whitmore (Maika Monroe) president Whitmore's (Bill Pullman - again) daughter. She is an aide to the current president Elizabeth Lanford (Sela Ward). Patricia & Jake Former President Thomas J. Whitmore Just as in the last movie, things alien start turning on about the time the HUGE mothership shows up. The captured aliens have become active in their special cages shielded against their psychic minds. Machines that have been dormant start lighting up and David Levinson (Jeff Goldblum) has gone off to investigate these occurrences. Dr. Okun (Brent Spiner), whom you may have seen in the trailers has been in a coma for the past two decades but wakes up at this time. It is apparent that anyone who had psychic connection to the aliens are still affected by the hive psychic communication - as President Whitmore is also picking up images. Capt. Dylan Dubrow-Hiller (Jessie Usher) the adopted son of now deceased Steven Hiller (Will Smith's Character) is one of the ace pilots in the ESD and there is some bad blood between him and Lt. Jake Morrison. So, there is the setup about the time this continent size alien vessel shows up and parks over the Atlantic Ocean. It is up to no good and the alien technology that ESD has is no match for their upgrades. As the invasion progresses, the leader of the U.S. Forces on the President's cabinet is Gen. Joshua Adams (William Fichtner). He and the two scientists, Levinson and the now awake and buzzing Dr. Okun are leading the defensive battle against a formidable enemy. General Joshua Adams, David Levinson & Dr.Okun Well, it wouldn't be a spoiler to say that the earth is not destroyed and they even have it set up for another sequel (IF this one does well in the box office) The aggregate critics at Rotten Tomatoes didn't care for it, only giving it a 37% Fresh and only 46% of audiences liked it. It was good special effects but I see it as a sequel, rarely as good as the original and often feeling like it is straining to give us something more. Of course I'll see it again, if not in theater, on DVD. Another character from the old movie who actually plays a role here is David Levinson's father Julius Levinson (Judd Hirsch). Also, Robert Loggia makes a cameo as General William Grey, USMC (Ret.). Loggia died in December 2015 and this was his final film role. The movie is dedicated in his memory.
