Battle: Los Angeles

Theatrical Release Year: 2011
Director: Jonathan Liebesman
Writer: Christopher Bertolini
Starring: Aaron Eckhart, Michelle Rodriguez, Taylor Handley, Cory Hardrict, Bridget Moynahan, Lucas Till, Ramon Rodriguez, Michael Peña, Jim Parrack, Ne-Yo
Length: 116 minutes
Studio: Columbia Pictures
MPAA Rating:

Staff Sargeant Michael Nantz (Aaron Eckhart) is at the end of a long career with the marines, and has the emotional battle scars from a failed mission to prove it. On the day he signs his papers to retire honorably an alien invasion strikes the earth and all hands are back on deck in Los Angeles to defend the territory for human annihilation.

As the troops learn of the extent of the alien takeover, and that all humans in their path are being destroyed, Nantz goes through his own journey of redemption to make himself and those around him believe that the choices he made in the past were the best given the circumstances.

This movie is a terrifying and visually mind blowing experience. The aliens who arrive to colonize the earth are here because they need one of our most precious and abundant resources: water. Considering that I have the mind of a curious child, it occurs to me to wonder why aliens would choose a planet with water where the indigenous population is so advanced in their technology and sentience, and therefore their ability to defend and learn and change strategies when one isn’t working. I understand that we think we’re the only planet with liquid water in the entire universe, but if that were the case… how would these aliens need our water?

There are some moments in the film that make you think perhaps part of it was rewritten on the fly (specifically: the discovery the humans make of knowing how the aliens are able to track them seems to be introduced several times, there are some discrepencies in the daylight vs nighttime, the seemingly unending supply of expendable people in the troop despite there not being that many people to begin with, Aaron Eckhart‘s voice changing from his regular voice to a gruff whisper, and Michelle Rodriguez‘s character seems to be a little too knowledgeable a little too quickly about the entire troop of marines). These are easy to overlook because the special effects of the aliens and their warcrafts are amazing.

The door for sequels is left open. Battle: New York, anyone?

Definitely worth a watch on the big screen despite all the plot oddities mentioned. Be sure to have a hand to hold and some popcorn to stuff in your mouth. And if you’re compelled to laugh when something bad happens, just go with it.

Order your tickets to Battle: Los Angeles online through Fandango or Moviefone.

Buttery’s Rating:

Popularity: 3% [?]

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