ID4:2 is the latest Hollywood sequel that nobody asked for and it is as bad as expected. I enjoy blockbuster alien invasion movies as much as the next guy (I’m a fan of the original), but this effort is a Michael Bay sized calamity.

The entire concept is boneheaded. Why should I care about the destruction of a fantasy present-day earth that has been supercharged with alien shields, engines and weapons? Audience relatability is immediately set to zero. And it doesn’t help that the world is populated with characters that, combined, have less charisma than Will Smith’s mo. To be fair, Jeff Goldblum is always a hoot but somebody should put Brent Spiner back in his cage; I haven’t seen this much egregious scenery-chewing since Gary Oldman in The Fifth Element. The visuals are as spectacular as the plot is boring. There are no contemporary but disarmingly funny computer viruses this time, just endless explosions and projectiles of “green shit”.

Unlike last year’s entertaining Jurassic World, Resurgence has failed to resurrect a 90’s phenomenon. And, such is the vanity of the filmmakers, the ending boldly predicts more sequels. After this stinker, I’m predicting no more close encounters for the franchise.