Battle Los Angeles: Blu Ray review
Battle Los Angeles
Rating: M
Released by Sony Home Entertainment
Do you like alien invasion films?
Do you like plenty of shooting?
Do you like a minimal plot which sees a leader looking for
redemption after the loss of troops in former combat?
Do you like stuff blowing up?
If you've answered yes, then move along, this review won't matter
to you. Because right after you've read the title, you'll be firing
up the DVD.
It's about a platoon of marines recently returned from combat,
who've suffered the loss of their own thanks to the decisions of
Aaron Eckhart's staff sergeant.
24 hours later this crew of gung-ho grunts (including one who's
about to marry, one who's got post-traumatic stress, one who's a
marine on the brink of retirement - just the regular collection of
cliches) is heading into battle when a series of meteors land at
strategic points around the world.
Pretty soon, it's clear this is an invasion force - and the marines
are one of the last lines of defence in the war against this
unnamed extra terrestrial army.
It's got the tenets of a B movie, a war film and an FX spectacular
thrown in - as well as the predictable Iraq allegory (the aliens
are after our resources; they use water for fuel ... subtle it may
not be).
But visually, its style is impressive - it looks like a war film
with its handheld cameras, verite style following the marines as
they try to save civilians from behind enemy lines (which resemble
war-torn streets of Iraq). It really gets you into the heart,
paranoia and uncomfortable nature of battle.
If you're after an adrenalin-filled spectacle for two hours, full
of bullets, bangs and boys (and slightly dodgy alien FX), then it's
for you - ultimately, it's not adding anything new to the genre but
is distracting enough.
Extras: Behind the battle, Aliens in LA, Creating LA - reasonable
pieces
Rating: 6/10
