Independence Day: Resurgence - 8 Reasons It's The Worst Movie Of Summer 2016

Roland Emmerich has never been all that good with his characters. They're just so flat, with simple, sign-posted motivations and arcs that would be too simple in an ages 4-6 dot-to-dot book. But, because without actors you're just making a two-hour effects showcase, he has to put them in. And, when they work, it's usually because of the actor bringing enough charisma to offset all the problems, best seen with Will Smith and Jeff Goldblum in the original Independence Day.

But if the characters in the original were a little two-dimensional, the ones in Resurgence can barely be called a line. The new heroes are barely introduced and are defined by their connection to the older generation, while most of the returners are treated as emotional currency. The only real exception is David Levinson, who is the closest we have to a lead, but even then it's hard to say that isn't just because he's played by Jeff Goldblum.

To cap off the writing, the actors portraying them wholly lack the watchability of the original lot; Jessie Usher is a worse son to Will Smith than Jaden, Liam Hemsworth totally forgettable and Maika Monroe only fine because you're still recovering from her scream queen double-whammy of The Guest and It Follows. Again, Goldblum is the least awful, but it's a far cry from the original.