'Battle: Los Angeles'

'Battle: Los Angeles (PG-13) (3 stars)

Writer: Chris Bertolini
Director: Jonathan Liebesman
Starring: Aaron Eckhart, Michael Pena, Michelle Rodriguez, Bridget Moynahan,
Ramon Rodriguez, Ne-Yo

The Aliens attack the earth movie is pretty much fool proof if you give the movie goers what they expect. You give them wall to wall action, intense battle scenes and cut the dialogue to a minimum. Then why have recent movies like this gotten it wrong? "Battle:Los Angeles is full of cliches, is ear splitting and very busy but I liked it. This web site is for movies like "Battle:Los Angeles". I could be really critical of it but I just wanted to have a little fun and I did. Some of the dialogue is pretty laughable but this movie knows it and instead of talking this movie just goes BAM! and BOOM! There is a scientist on television that explains why the aliens must be attacking and it is short and to the point without corny exposition. Then the movie starts rolling and never looks back.

This movie would not have worked as much for me if it didn't have the fine actor Aaron Eckhart in it. Aaron plays Marine Staff Sgt. Michael Nantz who in a previous battle lost a few men and it has followed him ever since. As Los Angeles is being pelted with meteors the marines prepare to evacuate Los Angeles. What they find out is that not only are there meteors showering down but alien life forms are attacking. The aliens are menacing but don't look that awe inspiring but I love the action and battle scenes. This movie has battle sequences that are as good as some war movies. The dialogue can sometimes get corny but the movie mostly doesn't stop enough to get mired in bad story lines and dialogue. This movie just gets to the action and only stops for little moments of humanity.

I really like Aaron Eckhart who is always likable and he keeps this movie grounded and he stands out amidst the rubble and violence. This is a very violent movie but no more so than the first "Transformers" movie which this reminded me of. "Battle:Los Angeles" is a much better experience than recent alien invasion movies like the Tom Cruise "War of the Worlds" remake. That movie stopped many times for those bad, sappy father/son, family moments. "Battle"Los Angeles" has that too but it comes off brief and solid here. That is also thanks to another good performance by Michael Pena, a great character actor. "Battle:Los Angeles" is nowhere as great as something like "District 9" or James Cameron's "Aliens" but is much better than the vastly over rated "Independence Day". It is much better than it should be so grab some popcorn and experience a gritty thrill ride.

P.S. The movie is also extremely loud. Working in movie theatres in the past, we used to get notes to crank up the sound on certain action movies from the studio. If that is the case then why does it have to be that loud? It is probably pretty loud itself without further help. If it isn't that then I apologize to the studio, well sort of.