Movies

‘Enjoyably chaotic’ sequel to “cornball” ’90s classic is on TV tonight

BBG News

Tonight, you can catch the action-packed sci-fi movie known for its “fun, chaotic” vibe, Independence Day: Resurgence, on TV.

In the year 2016, a follow-up movie was released, picking up two decades later since its original 1990s version featuring Will Smith. This new story unfolds in an era when the United Nations has united forces to establish the Earth Space Defense division.

With their successful dismantling and analysis of alien weaponry leftover from a prior assault, our freshly assembled team finds themselves swiftly mobilized when yet another extraterrestrial menace surfaces, poised to annihilate Earth.

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Tonight at 6:45 pm on Film4, you can catch “Independence Day: Resurgence” with Liam Hemsworth and Jeff Goldblum taking the main roles, as Goldblum reprises his character from the initial film.

Goldblum wasn’t the only cast member to appear again in this sequel; Bill Pullman, Judd Hirsch, Robert Loggia, Brent Spiner, Vivica A. Fox, and John Storey all came back for more. Unfortunately, Smith, who played Steven Hiller in the original film, was not part of this follow-up.

Under the guidance of Roland Emmerich, the movie titled Resurgence was met with largely unfavorable criticisms when it debuted. At present, it holds an approval rating of just 29% on Rotten Tomatoes based on 231 reviews. In stark contrast to its predecessor, this initial film currently boasts a score of 68% from 81 reviews.

Despite generally unfavorable reviews, some favorable comments were made, with The Observer stating, “While the storyline may seem worn out, filled with tired tropes like a school bus in danger, and an overly aggressive use of special effects, it still manages to be entertaining chaos.

According to The Hollywood Reporter, what consumers primarily expect from Resurgence is value-for-money entertainment, and it manages to achieve this fairly well. On the other hand, Little White Lies referred to it as a delightful dose of 90’s nostalgia.

Under Emmerich’s direction, you can now stream the original Independence Day movie on Disney+ in the UK. This iconic Hollywood blockbuster was a massive hit in 1996, ultimately becoming the top-earning film of that year.

The film was praised by critics as well, often described as “irresistibly enjoyable” (Variety via Rotten Tomatoes) and “shamelessly corny” or “delightfully cheesy” (CNN).

Independence Day: Resurgence airs on Film4 tonight at 6.45pm.

The latest print edition of Digital Spy is available! You can purchase the Oasis – Live in ’25’ issue at your local newsstands or online, currently going for only £8.99.

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2025-07-16 10:49

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