Friday, April 1, 2011

Movie Review: Battle: Los Angeles


Wow. I did not expect this movie to rule so hard. There were so many strikes against this film (no major actors/stars, been there done that alien invasion plot) I don't even remember why I chose to see this flick on a lark....but man am I glad I did!

So here's the brief synopsis:
Aliens invade Earth hell bent on usurping our natural resources. A bunch of Marines in Los Angeles fight them. Shit goes boom.

So yeah, the plot isn't the film's greatest selling point. If your jonesing for some originality in your sci-fi flicks, you might be better off watching District 9 again. While Battle LA isn't reinventing the wheel in terms of science fiction, it delivers on almost every other front. Honestly, I don't even feel comfortable calling this a sci-fi movie. You barely see the aliens and their CGI looks kinda crappy anyways. No, Battle LA is more of a straight up military/war film. The fight scenes are gripping, frantic and thanks to Jonathan Liebesman's direction, jarringly realistic. Sure, the characters are just walking cliches waiting to either shoot or get shot themselves, but damn if it all doesn't work so well! The script's dialogue is pretty lackluster, but the cast does the best with what they're given.

Two Face = Captain America!
Major kudos to Aaron Eckhart. Dude gives a stellar performance as Staff Sergeant Nantz, the heart, soul and all around badass of Battle LA. While watching this film I wanted to fax/email Marvel Comics and demand they halt the release of their upcoming Captain America movie and reshoot the damn thing with Eckhart as the lead. Michelle Rodriguez changes things up a bit, putting a softer spin on her usual "tough chick who kicks ass" role. She plays an Air Force techie who joins up with our beloved Marines during the ensuing carnage of battle. Rodriguez's presence in the film is just another example of usually hokey cliches that Battle LA not only embraces, but executes damn well. Hell, Rodriguez IS a cliche at this point, and the audience loved her for it! I'm not kidding, as soon as she appeared onscreen , cheers, applause and the occasional howl erupted inside the theater.

girl power
Battle LA is more akin to Black Hawk Down than War of The Worlds. More Saving Private Ryan than Independence Day. In fact, imagine Saving Private Ryan's chaotic Normandy invasion and final Ramelle bridge scenes, but an entire movie like that! You gotta replace the Nazis with Aliens though and you get the picture. I highly recommend this flick to any action movie junkie. Anyone who played with G.I. Joes as a kid or still enjoys some Call of Duty today should eat this movie up.

25 comments:

  1. Well I'm sold, I was the same as you lots of negativity but I'm an action movie junkie so we'll have to give it a look now.

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  2. I was SO close to seeing this a few weeks ago with a friend, but we saw Cedar Rapids instead. I honestly had second thoughts about it after reading some very bad reviews, plus I don't like Michelle Rodriguez. But it's good to see a positive and enthusiastic review about it. I was going to watch it either way once it came out on blu ray, but now I'll head back to the theatre and watch it.

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  3. If you liked it, there's a good chance I will too. I've been so lazy these past few weeks, I haven't gone out to watch any good movies.

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  4. ive heard bad things but i still wanna see it

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  5. looks interesting thanks for the post

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  6. Aside from the somewhat cheesey lines ("YOU ARE THE BRAVEST MARINE I HAVE EVA SEEEEEEENNNNN HRRRGHHH") I thought the movie was pretty enjoyable :D

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  7. It might suck but you have to see it on the big screen... DVD just isn't going to do it justice

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  8. Damn from that write up, now I hella wanna see it. I agree with the Eckhart part. Dude is underrated, hopefully this'll give him some shine.

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  9. Awesome review! Now I want to see it so bad :D

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  10. I heard the camera shakes more than a Tony Scott film, hate that

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  11. I might check it out, but I must say I am not happy with what you report about the aliens.

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  12. Well, I already missed it on theaters, I'm going to downl.. I mean, I'm going to buy it.

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  13. this looks f*ckin sweet. definitely gonna see it.

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  14. hmm may have to c

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  15. i'll see it when it's on tpb too many bad reviews to pay to see it

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  16. lol not gonna read anything cause i still wanna see it.

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  17. I wasn't all that impressed really...It seemed more like a summer movie and was all about just HURR SHOOTAN, and not really telling a story.

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  18. I heard it wasn't all that great. I might have to track it down when it hits the innertubes though.

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  19. I've actually really wanted to see this. Given you are really digging it, I think I'll have to check it out.

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  20. It was a freakin awesome movie!!

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  21. I want to see this movie, SO BAD!

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  22. I had no interest in seething this movie, but now after reading your review it's jumped to the top of my list

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  23. Sounds like a good movie. I'm going to have to watch it. Preferably at a house with state of the art sound and video.

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