Independence Day: Resurgence, which opens nation wide this weekend, is a sequel that arrives twenty years too late and forty minutes too long. But even so director Roland Emmerich has made a quintessential popcorn movie that demands to be seen on the big screen. The man behind The Day After Tomorrow and 2012 can not resist movie clichés and stereotypes, but he never forgets to make it fun.

Even though the list that makes this movie a ludicrous endeavor is pretty long, the main problem is how sluggish the first act turns out to be. It’s almost as if the screenwriters decided that just because we waited two decades for a second movie, the audience can wait almost an hour for the killer aliens with a thirst for revenge to arrive. Before that we are forced to catch up with the characters from the original that are NOT Will Smith. President Whitmore (Bill Pullman) is having apocalyptic dreams, Jeff Golblum seems to be confused and for no apparent reason decides he is playing Malcolm from the Jurassic Park franchise, while Vivica A. Fox is reduced to a glorified cameo.

The rest of the time is spent introducing characters who will carry the plot of possible sequels that will not take a hundred years to get the green light from Twentieth Century Fox. If this movie is meant to be their calling card into big studio fare, my prediction is that none of them will become movie stars. Liam Hemsworth in particular should just give up on leading man roles and use the skills he does have to become an interesting actor.

Once the alien lands and landmarks start getting blown up, none of this seems to matter. That also includes any type of logic and key moments that we haven't seen ten million times before. Even so the climax, which includes a bus full of kids, a dog that has to run to catch up and a major monster reveal is undeniably a blast. But one has to wonder why Emmerich has to overtly repeat formulas and even steal famous shots from other movies. Maybe it’s the fact that the director can't be subtle even when he tries. Doing a drinking game every time the thunder rolls dramatically in Anonymous is the only way to get through THAT movie.

With this one no alcohol is required, the director's boisterous style is a tonic all of it's own and perfectly suited for dumb entertainment that works only on the big screen. You may not respect yourself when you walk out of the cinema but while the lights are off inside the theater this new Independence Day keeps the fun going up until the end. Next time let's hope the aliens use light speed and get here a little quicker.

Independence Day: Resurgence is now playing in theaters.