The Independence Day Resurgence reviews are in and the critics are taking on this sci-fi sequel.

After twenty years, link the sequel to Independence Day, the highest-grossing movie of 1996, has finally arrived. The sequel arrives in theaters nationwide today and the Independence Day Resurgence reviews are trickling in (the film wasn’t screened for many critics).

The critics have been very tough on the new film but it should be noted that many critics didn’t enjoy the original blockbuster either. The first film only has a 61% approval rating on RottenTomatoes.com, which is considered “fresh,” but just barely.

At this writing, the sequel has a 46% fresh rating on RottenTomatoes.com.

Check out a few of the must-read Independence Day: Resurgence reviews below (and make sure you check out our own review here).

Leslie Felperin, HollywoodReporter.com: “Although the pic’s 120-minute running time sometimes feels draggier than its predecessor’s 145-minute sprawl, returning writer-director-producer Roland Emmerich’s knack for the pomp of vast-scaled destruction, fist-pumping moments of triumph and cornpone jocularity remains undiminished.” Check out the full review here.

Guy Lodge, Variety.com: “Sketchily conceived in all departments but its sensational, more-is-more visual effects — which is, let’s be honest, where its efforts should be concentrated — this belated, cluttered sequel to the 1996 smash “Independence Day” breaks far less ground than its alien invaders, but confirms director Roland Emmerich as modern cinema’s most spirited conductor of popcorn chaos.” Check out the full review here.

Lucy O’ Brien, IGN.com: “Independence Day: Resurgence is packed so full of cheese, explosions and too-convenient plot-twists it could sink a ship; yet it all adds up to a fun, old-fashioned disaster pic, made with such confidence and heart that it’s time we finally blast the guilt into the stratosphere where it belongs.”Check out the full review here.

Michael Phillips, ChicagoTribune.com: “The tonal switchbacks from camp to action to wisecracks to exposition to action again could give you whiplash, and so little of it clicks you wonder if screenwriters Nicolas Wright, James A. Woods, Dean Devlin, James Vanderbilt and Emmerich ever read each other’s drafts or versions of scenes before spitting out a revision.” Check out the full review here.

Scott Mendelson, Forbes.com: “They had twenty years to prepare, and this is the best they could come up with?” Check out the full review here.

If you want to read our perspective on the film, click here for our review.