Independence Day: Resurgence is the cinematic equivalent of a loud, expensive fireworks display that you forget five minutes after the grand finale. It’s a 2016 sequel to a 1996 masterpiece, and while it brings back the Jeff Goldblum charm, it swaps the original's heart for a lot of CGI goo. If your family is looking for a popcorn flick where things blow up on a planetary scale, it delivers, but don't expect it to stick the landing quite as well as the first one.
TL;DR
If your kids loved the original Independence Day, this is a safe enough follow-up, provided they can handle a much creepier alien Queen and a massive scale of destruction. It’s a bit "mid" compared to the classic, but it’s an easy pick for a rainy Saturday on Disney+ or Amazon Prime for kids aged 9 and up.
The original 1996 film worked because it felt like a disaster movie with a soul. You cared about the characters, the stakes felt personal, and Will Smith punching an alien in the face is a core cinematic memory. Independence Day: Resurgence goes for scale instead. The alien ship is now 3,000 miles wide (it has its own gravity, which is a cool touch), and the destruction is global.
The problem? The "new generation" of pilots—led by Liam Hemsworth—feels a bit like they were grown in a "generic action hero" lab. They’re fine, but they don't have the charisma that carried the first film. Fortunately, Jeff Goldblum and Bill Pullman return to do the heavy lifting, providing the necessary connective tissue for parents who grew up with the original.
If you're vetting this for a younger kid, the biggest hurdle isn't the explosions—it's the Queen. In the first movie, the aliens were mostly hidden in bio-mechanical suits. In Resurgence, we get a massive, multi-legged Alien Queen who spends the third act chasing a school bus.
Here is what to expect:
- The Look: She’s huge, slimy, and has a very "predator" vibe. It leans more into "monster movie" territory than the first film did.
- The Goo: There is a lot of green alien fluid. When things get shot, they don't just explode; they leak.
- The Destruction: Entire cities are lifted into the sky and dropped on other cities. It’s spectacular, but it’s also abstract. It doesn't have the "on-the-ground" terror of the White House exploding from the first movie.
The most common question kids ask when they see the poster is: "Where is Captain Hiller?" The movie explains his absence early on—he died during a test flight of a hybrid alien fighter jet. For kids who just finished the first movie and are hyped on Will Smith, this is a genuine letdown. The film tries to compensate by introducing his son, Dylan, but the chemistry just isn't the same.
If your kid is into the "how" of sci-fi, this movie is a great jumping-off point for a conversation about speculative engineering. The world of Resurgence is an alternate 2016 where humans have spent 20 years stripping alien tech to build moon bases and gravity-defying jets.
Ask them:
- "If we actually found alien tech today, what’s the first thing we should try to fix on Earth?"
- "Do you think the world would actually stay united for 20 years like it did in the movie, or would countries start fighting over the tech?"
The language is standard PG-13 fare—a few "shits" and some mild bravado, but nothing that will derail a family night. The real friction point is the runtime and the pacing; it’s a lot of "technobabble" in the middle that might cause younger kids to check out until the jets start flying again.
Q: Is Independence Day: Resurgence scarier than the first one? Yes, mostly because of the Alien Queen. While the first movie relied on suspense and "ships in the sky," the sequel features a giant monster actively hunting the main characters. If your kid is sensitive to "creature features," maybe pre-screen the final 20 minutes.
Q: Do we need to watch the 1996 movie first? Technically no, but you should. The sequel relies heavily on nostalgia and returning characters. Plus, the 1996 Independence Day is a significantly better movie. Start there.
Q: What age is Independence Day: Resurgence appropriate for? The sweet spot is 9 to 12. Younger kids might get bored by the political subplots or spooked by the Queen, while older teens might find the script a bit cheesy.
Q: Is there a lot of gore? It’s mostly "alien gore." Think green slime and dissolving exoskeletons rather than human blood. It stays firmly in the realm of sci-fi fantasy violence.
Independence Day: Resurgence is a mid-tier blockbuster that’s worth a watch if your family is already fans of the franchise. It’s loud, it’s silly, and it features Jeff Goldblum being Jeff Goldblum. Just don't expect it to change your life.
- If they loved the dogfights and alien tech, check out our best movies for kids list for more sci-fi picks.
- If they’re interested in the "how" of the world-building, look into books about game design which often cover how to build consistent fictional worlds.
- Find more sci-fi movies like this
