Battle: Los Angeles review by Rob Nijman

Director: Jonathan Liebesman
Starring: Aaron Eckhart, Bridget Moynahan, Ramon Rodriguez, Cory Hardrict

Rob Nijman writes for Live For Films.

Our world has been invaded and even colonized quite a bunch of times by now. Most notably in H.G. Wells’ The War of the Worlds, and the movie they tried to make of that – starring the smiley guy from Top Gun. But what about Independence Day, Battlefield Earth, Mars Attacks!, and – last but not least – The Day of the Triffids? There are even numerous examples of Us invading Them: Avatar, for instance, and to a lesser degree Mission to Mars. It seems inevitable we will one day in the near future be overrun by an alien race, them responding with a firm “no peace!” to our typical primal utterance of “peace?” So why would the premise for World Invasion: Battle Los Angeles be any different? Only this time though, the future is now..

Actually, most of the previous examples were set in the now; the introductory paragraph was just screaming for a catchy tagline. As is the movie. I mean, coming soon?

First off then: District 9, this ain’t. Neil Blomkamp delivered intelligent, multi-layered science fiction rivaled only by the likes of Alien(s) and Blade Runner. Or perhaps something less stellar, sure. If you think (or at least hope) you’ll walk into a smart, thought provoking Sci-Fi drama that dares to be different, you’re in for a bit of a letdown on this one. Fellow Jo-burger Jonathan Liebesman’s account of extraterrestrials invading the happy-go-lucky state of affairs our world currently inhabits is somewhat less instant-classicy than the South African adventure indeed. If, on the other hand, you’re quite content with just your rather stunning visceral gun battles, unstoppable alien monsters and Black Hawk Down-style high-energy warfare (as the info-graphic would have it), you’re in for a treat.

We meet up with Battle’s crew as they are flown into the city of Los Angeles, now a major warzone, on a rescue mission. They have to find and evacuate civilian survivors in the Santa Monica area – a part of L.A. that will be leveled to the ground within hours by the hands of the US Airforce in order to fend off the invaders. Which could have been an altogether interesting start of a very promising ride, propelling the audience right into the center of the action while swiftly introducing the key players – not unlike the superb ensemble introduction that was the opening scene of McTiernan’s Predator. Images of the fearless few as they’re gearing up for modern warfare are interspersed with a news anchor getting all Independence Day on us as he tells the world how it is; major metropolitan areas being under heavy attack and all. Suit up, and semper fi!

Unfortunately though, this gritty first minute only lasts, well, about a minute. Cut back to 24 hours prior, when all is still well with the world and there is some time to kill yet. Time for us to be introduced to Staff Sergeant Michael Nantz (Aaron Eckhart) and a number of other Marines. Slowly, by-the-numbers and instantly tedious. Nantz has just signed his resignation papers, as he is leaving the Corps to do who-knows-what (a looming pension; never a dead giveaway something bad might happen any time soon). Also, his last mission ended rather ambiguously, with him being either the day’s hero or the culprit to stuffing several friendly body bags (again, not something we should expect to affect the plot later on). Meanwhile, one Corporal is planning his wedding, while another kisses the pregnant belly of his wife. A third is being kiddes around on account of being a virgin, shortly before making a rookie ass of himself. Then there’s some righteous male bonding between the rest of the guys. I would give you their names (the movie has them onscreen one by one), but you wouldn’t remember them. And you don’t have to.

Just when you’ve about had it with the continuous outpour of clichés, predictable nonscenes and random Marine Pathos™ best left to Michael Bay (sentimental music, uncalled-for camaraderie and helicopters in formation, anyone?) that is the first half an hour (/hour) or so, the director finally shifts full-on into higher gear. If you’re by now able to let go of the fact you were hoping to see something a bit more challenging, have come to terms with what Battle is not, and instead start taking it for what it is, this is where you can commence guilty pleasuring. It’s probably my own fault too, for expecting more than it apparently ever planned to be. At any rate, cue the popcorn now.

The biggest part of what’s left in the second half of the movie then, is really rather good. Let’s go down the list of the aforementioned info-graphic once more. There are some heavy and intense gun battles that have been linked to Saving Private Ryan, although the shootout in Heat works just as well as a point of reference. There’s seventeen percent of District 9 in it on account of the mind-blowing weaponry and alien madskillz – although this time around it’s not as sophisticated, and more in line with what the mere mortals of earth are wielding. The aliens themselves, armored frogs-on-their-hind-legs type things that could have been spawned as love childs of Blomkamp’s Prawns and Robocop’s ED-209, are pretty cool though. And not nearly as unstoppable as the Aliens reference would have us believe. Cue a rather impromptu supporting turn by Bridget Moynahan as a veterinarian who helps find the enemy’s weak spots..

Also, what Battle does extremely well is scale, and the seemingly effortless focus of the picture. Global warfare with an alien species on the one hand, with close-combat guerilla warfare in the streets of Los Angeles on the other. With the entire world in flames, Liebesman finds the restraint to pick (one part of) one major metropolis, and one team of Marines. Period. This is where the Black Hawk Down references comes in. And is really rather accurate. Sure, there are about twenty other cities – like London, Paris and Tokyo – in serious distress (ID-4: check), but we don’t get to witness a lot of that save from a few quick newsflashes on television.

So the world is burning, yes. The focus of the battle however, remains on Los Angeles (the clue, is guess, is in the title), where a team of Marines unnervingly works against the clock to save themselves, a handful of civilians, their bafflingly crumpled (and stunningly special-effected) city and possibly the world. In the end, their plight gets you. Be it on a small, inter-human scale (will They make it?), or on a massive global one that results when a few are left standing between Us and Them (will We make it?). It could have done with a little less Bay-inspired sentiment though. With respect to gritty atmosphere, pulsating action and ultimately sheer entertainment of a no-holds-barred war in the streets of Los Angeles however, Battle delivers – neatly stumbling into seemingly endless possibilities for popcorny sequel mayhem.