Battle Los Angeles – A Lost Battle

Yet another alien attack and yet another chance for a bunch of US Marines to shout battle cries as they save the world. Wait. Battle: Los Angeles isn’t about the world; it’s about Los Angeles and well…honestly who cares about it, right?

Battle Los Angeles Plot

At the Camp Pendleton Marine Corps Base outside of Los Angeles, CA, a group of marines, lead by Sergeant Michael Nantz (Aaron Eckhart), are called to respond immediately to one of many coastlines under attack across the globe. Sergeant Nantz and his corps go into fierce battle against ocean born aliens that are determined to overtake the water supply and destroy everything in their path.

For Staff Sergeant Michael Nantz (Aaron Eckhart) and his merry men the world view is only limited to LA and they’d die before giving up their world to a bunch of freaks. Nantz can’t get over the guilt of leaving his men in combat to die and decides to leave the forces. He chooses one hell of a day to put in his papers: aliens have attacked the world and his boss tells him to boot up to kick the invaders out. None of the men in his platoon are happy for who knows he might desert them again. Slowly he ends up winning the confidence of his men and the woman (Michelle Rodriguez) he leads and also becomes the hero of the civilians he saves.A�

The mainstay of the film–a bunch of soldiers going on a mission to rescue civilians holed up in an area which would be subjected to synchronized air attack in a few hours–is almost like Black Hawk Down’s centerpiece. Once writer Christopher Bertolini decides to get inspired by the Ridely Scott film, director Jonathan Liebesman ensures that everything else right from the plot points to shot-taking is woefully similar to Black Hawk Down.A�

The only shred of creativity here seems to be the change of location and replacing the Somalians with a bunch of idiotic school science project looking aliens. When the soldiers meet-up with the civilians it shifts into Saving Private Ryan(s) mode! At times it feels as if the drama and tragedy are being forced on you.

Final verdict

Shaking camera in the name of you-being-there experience, trite writing–even with aliens attacking all around someone tells someone ‘this is not a drill’ and then repeats the same line for good measure, there isn’t a single image in Battle: Los Angeles that lingers on in your mind or heart for a moment longer than a nano-second. Completely devoid of anything sensible and overtly predictable to death, Battle: Los Angeles is a lost cause right from the time the lights dim in the theater. Watch it at your own risk.

Battle Los Angeles Rating: 1/5

Battle Los Angeles Cast: Aaron Eckhart, Michelle Rodriguez and others

Battle Los Angeles Written by: Christopher BertoliniA�

Battle Los Angeles Directed by: Jonathan Liebesman