Battle: Los Angeles

For the most part*, I love alien invasion movies. A regular criticism is that they all follow the same plot:

1. Aliens arrive on Earth.
2. We’re not sure whether they are here with peaceful intentions**, or to start blowing shit up.
3. They start blowing shit up.
4. It looks like humans will be exterminated in short order.
5. A rag-tag group of people somehow escape certain death.
6. Said rag-tag group figures out a way to kill the alien menace.
7. Humans win.

Aliens, Blowing Shit Up.

Despite the bad reviews, I threw caution to the wind and checked out Battle: Los Angeles, or as it was known here, World Invasion. And you know what? I liked it, confirming what I already knew about film critics: they hate fun movies with lots of explosions.

The movie actually had a real grittiness to it, and a certain degree of realism, insofar as an alien flick could be considered “real.” I liked Aaron Eckhart, and his chin, as the lead in this film. He was believable as a Marine nearing retirement (of course, he was due to retire), and as a, “I will kill anything” badass that the role required. My favorite part was when he dragged an injured alien into a room and started  stabbing him in an attempt to find a vital organ. “Is that thing its heart?” (Stab). “Nope. What about that thing?”

Battle: Los Angeles also skipped Step #2 of the aforementioned well-worn plot-line. The aliens landed and immediately started blowing shit up.

It was a fun movie, so long as you don’t expect a masterpiece. (And in that case, what? did you wander into the wrong theater)? With all the craziness going on in real life with the devastation in Japan, it was nice to distract myself with some fake destruction.

*I’m looking at you, Skyline!

**They’re not.