There is always cause for caution when it comes to Aaron Eckhart. Still most definitely not forgiven for the implausible cheese-fest that was The Core (2003), he really has made some hit-and-miss career decisions. From his stellar performances in films like Erin Brockovich (2000), Thank You for Not Smoking (2005) and The Dark Knight (2008), to Rotten Tomatoes fodder Paycheck (2003), Love Happens (2009) and the terrible re-make of The Wicker Man (2006), one can never be sure as to whether one of his movies will deliver or disappoint.
Enter Battle: Los Angeles (2011), the story of an alien invasion told from the perspective of Staff Sergeant Michael Nantz (Aaron Eckhart) who has just requested to be expired from the military, but is called in for one last mission. As it turns out, the mission entails fighting alien invaders who have mobilised a ground force hell-bent on eradicating the LA population. There are “surprises” along the way – the discovery of a civilian family cowering in an abandoned police station, the leader who can’t hack it, the virgin rookie, the groom-to-be eager to return to his fiancé – you get the gist.
This film is like a sci-fi epic which is rebelling and, instead, trying to be an episode of Band of Brothers (2001). Sadly, it does neither any justice. Director Jonathan Liebesman’s insistence on the overuse of “shaky-cam” for even the quiet moments of supposed stillness borders on the ridiculous. The introduction of new characters and terrific casting choices is dramatically played-down, making it feel as though their presence is wasted. For example, one member of the civilian family who are taken along for the ride (literally, the soldiers hotwire a bus to get across the city) is played by Bridget Moynahan (i-Robot (2004), The Recruit (2003)); a soldier who joins them from a fallen platoon is played by Michelle Rodriguez (Avatar (2009), Girlfight (2000)) – and it doesn’t even matter. Their characters are not introduced with any sense of importance – suddenly they’re just…there. Unknowns could have been hired to play these roles and it would not have adjusted the film in any real way, and would have saved the production a hell of a lot of money, I’d imagine.
The additional frustration here is that whenever the audience is able to catch a glimpse of the offending aliens, it is always through the filter of either grainy news footage or battle dust which has yet to settle; or, the hand-held cam goes epileptic and your eye is prevented from settling on the image. Come on, Jonathan Liebesman – you’ve spent a s***load on special effects to bring your audience first-rate aliens, and you refuse to allow us to see them! You’re mugging YOURSELF, Mate – as Mike Skinner might say.
Overall, this is no more than your painfully-average military tale. The script is hammy at the best of times, and all the promises that the stunning trailer made remain un-kept. This could have been something really spectacular; instead, think Independence Day (1996) shot documentary-style and you’ve pretty much sussed this movie (even to the point where this single platoon figure out how to immobilise the control ship and then this information is passed to every major city where invasions are taking place – come on! Enter Will Smith and Jeff Goldblum smoking cigars and you’ve got the same film! Except that Independence Day comes off as the superior cinematic work in this instance, which is really saying something).
This is a waste of your admittance ticket fee. Take the money you would have spent on seeing this film, go to your local HMV, and dig Independence Day out of the bargain bin. THAT is how a cheesy, alien invasion movie is done – not this sombre, serious, half-baked affair.
Star Rating: **
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