Battle: Los Angeles Review
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Battle Los Angeles stars Aaron Eckhart, Bridget Moynahan, Ramon Rodriguez, Michelle Rodriguez and Ne-Yo. This film pits humanity against one of their most constant foes an alien invasion. How does this movie hold up? Is it worth the price of admission? Or you should stay away from Los Angeles?
Story - A Marine Staff Sergeant who has just had his retirement approved goes back into the line of duty in order to assist a 2nd Lieutenant and his platoon as they fight to reclaim the city of Los Angeles from alien invaders. That's the synopsis for the film, too bad the story is lacking severely. Battle Los Angeles could've been a really great story about humanity and banding together. Instead we get a film with little to no characterization on the heroes and villains. Each character gets a couple of lines on their backstory and that's it. For example Ne-Yo character Cpl. Kevin Harris background is that he is about to marry his sweetheart. You really don't know much about why he's in the Marines etc. The only character who gets any real characterization is Aaron Eckhart as SSgt. Michael Nantz. His character has more of backstory and something is haunting him, that could effect the way he commands the troops. However even that wasn't really explored that much. The aliens you know nothing about except for what they are after. No names for the creatures, no backstory of what planet they are from, nothing really explained at all. The film is just one big set piece after another. I know this is a war film and action is needed. However would a little bit of story hurt the film? Also watching the story I felt like this was just one huge join The Marines commercial. The story does not hesitate to mention The Marines and We're Marines every chance it got.
Acting - The acting is tolerable. The problem with the acting is not the actors, it's the fact the actors have nothing to do. With no real character development, you can't expect an outstanding performance. As good as Aaron Eckhart, Michelle Rodriquez and Bridget Moynahan are the acting seems wooden. Maybe with a little more character development we could have seen more. Also there are some dialogue that will make you cringe. I will leave that up to you decided which one it was.
Music & Filming - The music is composed by Brian Tyler (Eagle Eye, Dragonball Evolution,The Expendables). The music is the films strong point. Tyler composes a score that not only sets the tone of the film, but compliments the scenes. However I did feel that almost every single song felt like I was watching a Michael Bay film. I did enjoy listening to the score it had great use of the strings, piano and the horns. One of my favorite songs is when the aliens first arrive.
The special effects and battle sequences are great. The destruction, the explosion and the sound is wonderful to see. I just wish the designs on the aliens were better. They look like more like machines then aliens. However this explained later in the movie, they called them Drones. Their are some nice shots of the battle scenes up close that I did enjoy. I also enjoy the shaky camera from the time to time. I felt that it added realism to the battlefield and it worked welled.
Final Grade C+/ **1/2 out of 4 Stars - Battle Los Angeles is all action with no substance. It's ashamed because this could have been a great alien invasion flick. However we get a movie that borrows elements from Independence Day, District 9 and even some videogames. There is nothing new under the sun for this film. If you want a great non stop action film, then this film is for you. However if you want a alien story with more substance stay away from this film.
Story - A Marine Staff Sergeant who has just had his retirement approved goes back into the line of duty in order to assist a 2nd Lieutenant and his platoon as they fight to reclaim the city of Los Angeles from alien invaders. That's the synopsis for the film, too bad the story is lacking severely. Battle Los Angeles could've been a really great story about humanity and banding together. Instead we get a film with little to no characterization on the heroes and villains. Each character gets a couple of lines on their backstory and that's it. For example Ne-Yo character Cpl. Kevin Harris background is that he is about to marry his sweetheart. You really don't know much about why he's in the Marines etc. The only character who gets any real characterization is Aaron Eckhart as SSgt. Michael Nantz. His character has more of backstory and something is haunting him, that could effect the way he commands the troops. However even that wasn't really explored that much. The aliens you know nothing about except for what they are after. No names for the creatures, no backstory of what planet they are from, nothing really explained at all. The film is just one big set piece after another. I know this is a war film and action is needed. However would a little bit of story hurt the film? Also watching the story I felt like this was just one huge join The Marines commercial. The story does not hesitate to mention The Marines and We're Marines every chance it got.
Acting - The acting is tolerable. The problem with the acting is not the actors, it's the fact the actors have nothing to do. With no real character development, you can't expect an outstanding performance. As good as Aaron Eckhart, Michelle Rodriquez and Bridget Moynahan are the acting seems wooden. Maybe with a little more character development we could have seen more. Also there are some dialogue that will make you cringe. I will leave that up to you decided which one it was.
Music & Filming - The music is composed by Brian Tyler (Eagle Eye, Dragonball Evolution,The Expendables). The music is the films strong point. Tyler composes a score that not only sets the tone of the film, but compliments the scenes. However I did feel that almost every single song felt like I was watching a Michael Bay film. I did enjoy listening to the score it had great use of the strings, piano and the horns. One of my favorite songs is when the aliens first arrive.
The special effects and battle sequences are great. The destruction, the explosion and the sound is wonderful to see. I just wish the designs on the aliens were better. They look like more like machines then aliens. However this explained later in the movie, they called them Drones. Their are some nice shots of the battle scenes up close that I did enjoy. I also enjoy the shaky camera from the time to time. I felt that it added realism to the battlefield and it worked welled.
Final Grade C+/ **1/2 out of 4 Stars - Battle Los Angeles is all action with no substance. It's ashamed because this could have been a great alien invasion flick. However we get a movie that borrows elements from Independence Day, District 9 and even some videogames. There is nothing new under the sun for this film. If you want a great non stop action film, then this film is for you. However if you want a alien story with more substance stay away from this film.
