ANOTHER EARTH!!! No you probably haven’t heard of it, after all it is being released in Australia with little or no fuss as it doesn’t feature an A List cast and was directed by a household name. But this is the little film that could! The way this film intertwines sci-fi and drama is a stroke of genius and with an ending that leaves you asking a world of questions, it’s a film I can’t wait to see again.

The films begins on the night that scientists discover another planet that they nickname Earth. Party girl, Rhoda Williams (Brit Marling – Sound Of My Voice, TV’S Community) is driving home, drunk, and while she stares at Earth 2 she takes her eyes off the road long enough to run into a car being driven by composer, John Burroughs (William Mapother – Edwin Boyd, A Warrior’s Heart). The accident results in the death of John’s wife and son and sees Rhoda sent to prison for four years. Upon, her release she discovers that there are plans to send people to Earth 2 (as they have discovered it has life on it) and while she enters the competition she also decides she must apologise to John and try to settle back into life.

Screenwriter/director, Mike Cahill (Boxers & Ballerinas) has created an absolute gem of a film. In a time of remakes and reboots an original film like this just stands out so much. So, well written is the script that you feel for Rhoda despite seeing the accident in which she kills John’s family. The scene of Rhoda standing over the body of the boy will stick with me for such a long time.

Cahill proves himself as a top writer by effortlessly mixing drama and sci-fi together. He seems to have a real handle on the Earth 2 side of the story while the drama and suspense he creates throughout the film leaves the audience breathless… especially when Rhoda first goes to visit John. Cahill also doesn’t fall into the trap of doing a predictable Hollywood ending; the closing scene will have you asking more questions than it answers, but it works… let’s just hope that if a sequel is written its Cahill that pens it.

The other thing that strikes you while watching Another Earth is how good Brit Marling is in the role of Rhoda. Her performance is nothing short of brilliant, she captivates you as she tackles a confronting dramatic role that must have left her drained. It’s an outside chance but this is the kind of role that the Oscar voters should be looking at. Marling is a true sensation and I expect to see big things from her in the future. I also shouldn’t dismiss William Mapother whose on-screen chemistry with Marling takes the film to a whole different level.

Another Earth is a film that shouldn’t be missed. Spectacular visuals (every shot of Earth 2 looks amazing), some of the best acting performances you are ever likely to see and one of the scripts of the year result in a film that is one of the best to surface this year. The film is edgy and alternative in style but gets its great story through and leaves the audience wanting more. I can’t recommend this film highly enough.

Year: 2011

Director: Mike Cahill

Stars: Brit Marling, William Mapother

Classification: M

Runtime: 92 mins

Rating:

Out on DVD/Blu-Ray 29th Feb 2012

Dave Griffiths

Just when you say ‘they aren’t making any original movies anymore’ along comes a film that makes you eat your words. Sure alien invasion movies have been done before but Attack The Block is so original that it will truly shock you… not in the frightening sense but in the sense that somewhere out there a screenwriter actually had an original idea instead of simply just remaking something done years earlier.

Sam (Jodie Whittaker – A Thousand Kisses Deep, One Day) is a nurse who lives in a rough area of South London. Actually, she lives in a council building know as The Block. Technically, The Block is ‘run’ by gangster, Hi-Hatz (Jumayn Hunter – TV’S Vexed & The Bill) and drug dealer, Ron (Nick Frost – Paul, The Adventures Of Tintin: The Secret Of The Unicorn). Sam’s day is changed for the worst when she is mugged by Moses (John Boyega – TV’S Da Brick & Law & Order: UK) and his group of ‘thugs’ who are quickly putting fear into The Block. However, when an alien invasion begins during Sam’s mugging the tough-man Moses quickly ‘wastes’ the first alien, only to then see big and meaner aliens arrive… something the residents of The Block aren’t going to stand for.

Writer/Director, Joe Cornish (TV’S Blunder & The Adam And Joe Show) really is a breath of fresh air. See he hasn’t just created another violent alien invasion film with Attack The Block. Sure there are lots of full-on fight scenes but there is also heart and soul with this film. He tackles some pretty serious topics with the film, including why teenagers end up in gangs like this and brilliant ‘can she forgive him’ storyline between Moses and Sam. The fact that Moses mugs an innocent woman at the start of the film and by the end you are supposed to see him as a hero had failure written all over it… but such is the power of Cornish’s writing that he does it with ease. Unlike most films in this genre Cornish makes sure all his characters are truly three dimensional, he even remembers to include character development. Cornish is a brilliant filmmaker who I can’t wait to see more from.

Cornish also doesn’t rest the laurels of the film on big name actors either. Sure, Nick Frost gets top billing but he really doesn’t have that large part in the film. No the true stars here are the teens and they all do a sensational job. However, the real standout is John Boyega who not only pulls of the action scenes sensational well but when it comes to drama he shows that he should be considered one of the finest young character actors going around. Jodie Whittaker also deserves a mention for her fine performance as well.

Attack The Block doesn’t look like the kind of film that a critic would be raving about, but seriously I can’t recommend this film enough. It just goes to show that you can’t tell by the packaging how good the present will be. This ends up being a creative film with some good acting, a great suspenseful storyline and enough action to keep anyone happy. One of the biggest surprises of this year, Attack The Block is a breath of fresh air.

Year: 2011

Director: Joe Cornish

Stars: Nick Frost, Jodie Whittaker, John Boyega, Jumayn Hunter

Classification: TBC

Runtime: 88 mins

Rating:

Out on DVD/Blu-Ray 4th April 2012

Dave Griffiths

After the disappointment that was The Adjustment Bureau I have to admit I was pretty skeptical when approaching In Time, but I was so pleasantly surprised. This is a sci-fi that genuinely works, it’s characters are interesting and it has enough suspense to keep you on the edge of your seat. And yes to answer the elephant that is the room, Justin Timberlake’s acting is up to standout.

In Time is set in a period where people wear their life-clock ticks down on their arms. When it reaches zero you’re dead, and with time working as currency more often than not you’re going to die young. For Will Salas (Justin Timberlake – Friends With Benefits, Bad Teacher) and his mother, Rachel (Olivia Wilde – The Change-Up, Cowboys & Aliens) make ends meet by just scraping by. However, after a chance meeting with Henry Hamilton (Matt Bomer – TV’s White Collar & Chuck) and the death of Rachel Will learns the secret of how the rich live such long lives and he sets about getting revenge. With Timekeeper Raymond Leon (Cillian Murphy – Retreat, Tron: Legacy) hot on his tails Will soon finds himself teaming up with socialite, Sylvia Weis (Amanda Seyfried – A Bag Of Hammers, Red Riding Hood) in order to get his mission done.

While In Time may not be as slick as a film like The Matrix it is certainly a sci-fi that will impress. The only holes in director/screenwriter, Andrew Niccol’s (Lord Of War, S1m0ne) screenplay are only small and he has developed a storyline that does totally stuck you in. His lead character of Will is interesting and easily identifiable with, you want Will to succeed because he is technically a modern day Robin Hood. The fact that there are many questions about Sylvia’s character only adds to the suspense of the story at hand. My only major gripe is that some of the Timekeepers are given some pretty one-dimensional lines, but that can easily be excusable when you are so engulfed with the story at hand.

With a brilliant performance in The Social Network and not much to work with in Friends With Benefits and Bad Teacher all eyes are going to be on Justin Timberlake’s performance. Well he doesn’t put in an Oscar-winning performance but he does put in an effort credible enough to prove that he does actually have a future ahead of him as an actor. He is good in an action based range but also shows glimpses of a dramatic range that shows he is actually capable of much more. Here he is also well supported by Amanda Seyfried whose performance is not too dissimilar to Milla Jovovich’s in The Fifth Element. Cillian Murphy also seems to relish in the role of a mysterious Timekeeper.

In Time is certainly not an award-winning film but it will certainly hold its interest. It’s storyline is enough to keep the audience interested and you will find your eyes fixed on the screen from start to finish. Not brilliant but this sci-fi is good enough to warrant respect.

Year: 2011

Director: Andrew Niccol

Stars: Justin Timberlake, Amanda Seyfried, Olivia Wilde, Matt Bomer, Cillian Murphy

Classification: M

Runtime: 109 mins

Rating:

Out on DVD/Blu-Ray 29th Feb 2012

Dave Griffiths

It may nearly be thirty years old but a little bit of remastering has brought the classic Ghostbusters back to life brighter and better than ever. Even better still the story and the comedy of the film still hold up and once again audiences get a chance to relive their early years through what after a re-watch I have decided should be classed as a piece of cinematic brilliance.

For those who have never seen Ghostbusters, it tells the story of three scientists, Dr. Peter Venkman (Bill Murray – Passion Play, Fantastic Mr. Fox), Dr. Raymond Stantz (Dan Aykroyd – Yogi Bear, TV’S The Defenders) and Dr. Egon Spengler (Harold Ramis – Year One, Walk Hard: The Dewey Cox Story) lose their jobs shortly after they discover ghosts really are real… and then determine a way to trap them. The three then form an agency called Ghost Busters and decide to make their services available to the public. Soon, they are working on the mysterious happenings that are occurring in the apartment of the beautiful, Dana (Sigourney Weaver – Abduction, Paul). Soon, they realise that the happenings there are about to turn into something catastrophic.

Director, Ivan Reitman (No Strings Attached, My Super Ex-Girlfriend) really was onto something special when he was to sit at the helm of Ghostbusters. The film really does nothing wrong. Sure, some of the special effects look a little bit dated these days but everything else works just fine. When you are laughing out loud at Ghostbusters it makes you realise just how poor today’s comedies really are while first-time viewers of the film will get a chance to see how easily sci-fi and comedy can be mixed… now why can’t somebody manage to do it these days.

The real standout in this film though is Bill Murray. Like the recently released Get Low this is really one of Murray’s better films. His performance is faultless and his comedy timing is enough to make any modern day comedian jealous. The character of Venkman is one of the funniest roles to ever surface in Hollywood. His womanizing ways make him a laugh-a-moment buffoon, and he has you laughing over and over again.

Having Ghostbusters remastered is the perfect excuse to give this old classic another watch and if you’re family hasn’t seen it yet then I guess you’ll just have to make a trip to the cinema as soon as you can. Even after 30 years Ghostbusters is still a comedy that will have you laughing throughout the entire film.

Year: 1984

Director: Ivan Reitman

Stars: Bill Murray, Dan Aykroyd, Harold Ramis, Sigourney Weaver

Classification: PG

Runtime: 104 mins

Rating:

Dave Griffiths

Everywhere you turn at the moment it seems that Real Steel is simply being billed ‘as that boxing robot movie’, but after viewing the film you soon realise that this is far beyond any simple action/science-fiction film. For starters Steven Spielberg’s influence as producer is seriously noticeably, as the film has real heart from beginning to end. Secondly the acting is top notch, and once again Spielberg shows that when it comes to picking child actors he is far superior to everyone else.

Real Steel is set in the near future, a future where human boxing has been replaced by robot boxing. This move sees good fighters such as Charlie Kenton (Hugh Jackman – Butter, Snow Flower And The Secret Fan) on the scrap heap. However, Charlie is trying to make something of his life, he is trying to be a successful owner of fighting robots but due to a string of bad luck he is left owing money to people such as Ricky (Kevin Durand – Edwin Boyd, I Am Number Four). Charlie is then informed that his former flame has died and that his son, Max (Dakota Goyo – Thor, TV’S Arthur) needs him. Desperate for money Charlie aggrees to ‘sell’ Max to his Aunt (Hope Davis – The Special Relationship, The Family Tree) and her aging-rich husband (James Rebhorn – TV’S Big Lake & White Collar). The deal sees Charlie looking after Max for a summer and soon Max becomes interested in his father’s career, much to Charlie’s horror. Soon, with the help of Bailey (Evangeline Lily – Afterwards, TV’S Lost) Max has his own robot and he is entering into a world of robot-boxing dominated by Tak Mashido (Karl Yune – Speed Racer, TV’S Knight Rider) and Farra (Olga Fonda – Love, Little Fockers).

It is obvious that director, Shawn Levy (Date Night, Night At The Museum 2) was operating under Spielberg’s guidance. The rich themes that run through the film, such as Charlie learning to have a relationship with his son and Max’s own relationship with robot that may or may not have feelings has that touch of ‘heart’ that only Spielberg can bring to a film. Levy has done a fine job not holding back, despite the fact some may find the robot versus bull fight hard to stomach it really does show how desperate Charlie has become. Levy also manages to keep a control on ‘the mix’ of the film. His characters are all believable and three-dimensional and he doesn’t allow either the action sequences or the love-story (between Charlie and Bailey) ever over-shadow the fact that the end of the day this is a film about a father-son relationship.

A terrific script is also a blessing for the actors. Hugh Jackman brings a touch of class to the role of Charlie while Evangeline Lily doesn’t allow her limited screen time to take anything away from her performance. However, the standout here is Dakota Goyo – he has genuine talent and you don’t get ‘gee his annoying’ feeling you get when you watch some other child actors. With Goyo you feel that Spielberg has found his new Christian Bale.

If you write Real Steel off as just a corny action film then you have done yourself a serious disservice. This is a film that deserves respect as it’s good acting, script and basis makes for one entertaining ride. This is the kind of film that will have you on the edge of your seat with anticipation one moment and nearly crying the next second. Real Steel is surprisingly powerful with real soul.

Year: 2011

Director: Shawn Levy

Stars: Hugh Jackman, Evangeline Lily, Dakota Goyo

Classification: M

Runtime: 127 mins

Rating:

Out on DVD/Blu-Ray 28th March 2012

Dave Griffiths

It may come as a surprise to many but Priest works alarmingly well, and if you’re a fan of comic book movies than this is one you don’t want to miss. From stunning cinematography to a story that completely involves you this is film that you simply must see in 3D.

Taken from Min-Woo Hyung’s graphic novel the film tells the story of Priest (Paul Bettany – Margin Call, The Tourist) a priest who was trained by the Church to help win the war on vampires. The Church won the war and all remaining vampires have been placed in ‘reservations’ and therefore these highly trained Priests are now of no use. However, when Priest’s brother and sister-in-law are murdered and his niece, Lucy (Lily Collins – The Blind Side, TV’S 90210) is taken captive all signs point to it being a vampire attack. The Church decrees that this is ridiculous and forbids Priest to investigate. However, with the help of Lucy’s boyfriend and town sheriff, Hicks (Cam Gigandet – The Roomate, Burlesque ) he goes against the Church’s orders. In response they send a group, which includes Priestess (Maggie Q – Rogues Gallery, The King Of Fighters), to assassinate him.

Director, Scott Charles Stewart (Legion, What We Talk About When We Talk About Love) makes sure Priest works by making sure the film doesn’t try to be anything more than what it is – a graphic novel. His touch of setting up the story using graphic novel style illustrations is brilliant while his visual-creation of such a dark, Church-driven world is equal to what we saw in Dark City. Aided by a simplistic script the audience is given easy access to what could be a complex world and despite the supernatural theme you easily identify with the characters at hand. To be precise Stewart has delivered a visually stunning film that is only enhanced in 3D.

As usual Paul Bettany puts in a great performance and despite the fact the film’s biggest weakness is that the characters are very one-dimensional you do get a strong feel for his character, while Karl Urban (Red, And Soon The Darkness) seems to lap up being able to play the evil Black Hat. And despite his presence in a lot of movies recently this seems to be the film where Cam Gigandet seems to standout rather than just glide in under the radar like usual.

Priest isn’t going to win any Oscars but it is an enjoyable movie that will be lapped up by fans of action and comic book films. The ending may be a little predictable, but the amazing visuals and interesting characters make the journey there enjoyable. A surprisingly good film that can be thoroughly enjoyed.

Year: 2011

Director: Scott Charles Stewart

Stars: Paul Bettany, Cam Gigandet, Maggie Q, Karl Urban

Classification: M

Runtime: 87 mins

Rating:

Available on DVD from 23rd December, 2011

Dave Griffiths

With the long running Harry Potter series of films drawing to an end the final film had to be something truly remarkable and director, David Yates (Harry Potter & The Deathly Hallows Part 1, Harry Potter & The Half-Blood Prince) certainly delivers. While Harry Potter & The Deathly Hallows Part 1 dipped a little due to the fact that it was largely a road movie, Part 2 is very much a ‘battle’ movie and holds the suspense of the audience from start to finish… even more so if you haven’t read the novels and have no idea who is going to live or die.

In this finale we find Harry (Daniel Radcliffe – Harry Potter & The Deathly Hallows Part 1, Harry Potter & The Half-Blood Prince), Ron (Rupert Grint – Harry Potter & The Deathly Hallows Part 1, Wild Target) and Hermoine (Emma Watson – Harry Potter & The Deathly Hallows Part 1, Harry Potter & The Half-Blood Prince) still looking for the remaining Horcruxes in an effort to destroy Lord Voldemort (Ralph Fiennes – Page Eight, Corilanus). However, when Voldemort takes the fight to Hogwarts Harry realises that it is time for him and Voldemort to battle face-to-face.

David Yates has obviously watched The Lord Of The Rings triology as he and screenwriter Steve Kloves (Harry Potter & The Deathly Hallows Part 1, Harry Potter & The Half-Blood Prince) knows that a film that consists mainly of battles can still be kept interesting and that characterisation doesn’t need to be thrown out the window and replaced with special effects. And while Yates and Kloves do a fabulous job with the film there is still one minor gripe. The series still doesn’t deal with death in a satisfactory way. As we saw in Part 1 with Hedwig’s death, the death of some key characters in this film certainly aren’t dealt with the respect that the audience would expect.

Acting-wise Radcliffe, Watson and Grint once again show that they have the skills to become fine actors long after this series is just a memory, however a big surprise this time around is the performance of Matthew Lewis (Harry Potter & The Deathly Hallows Part 1, The Sweet Shop) who plays Neville Longbottom. Neville gets more screen time this time around and Lewis embraces it with an effort that leaves you hoping that we see more of him in the future. Once again the other standout is Alan Rickman (The Boy In The Bubble, Alice In Wonderland) who has been superb throughout the series… it really has been a testament to what a fine actor he really is.

As the door closes on Hogwarts (dare we say it) for the final time the fans can only be left well and truly fulfilled by this magnificent finale. A stunning film that will be long remembered.

DIRECTOR:  David Yates

STARS:          Daniel Radcliffe, Emma Watson, Rupert Grint

RATING:       M

RUNTIME:    130mins

BUZZ RATING:

Available on DVD from 16th November, 2011

Dave Griffiths

Some of the behind-the-scenes staff working on Green Lantern should be shaking their heads and taking a good look at themselves. The story of legendary comic book character Green Lantern is a filmmaker’s delight. Grief, love and a personal journey, everything you need to make a brilliant film is all there, handed to them on a platter, yet even the screenwriters couldn’t get this one right, and the end what could have been equal to Iron Man has ended up being an average film.

Hal Jordan (Ryan Reynolds – The Change Up, Buried) has never really recovered from seeing his father die in a fiery plane crash. Following in his footsteps Hal has become a cocky, fearless fighter pilot who impresses but also infuriates his friend-since-childhood, Carol Ferris (Blake Lively – The Town, TV’S Gossip Girl). However, after a close call at work Hal’s life changes forever when he comes across a crashed UFO containing the injured, Abin Sur (Temuera Morrison – Tracker, The Marine 2). Hal soon finds himself part of the Green Lantern Corp, a type of intergalactic Police Force. And while he soon finds himself coming up against the evil Parallax and his human-sidekick, Hector Hammond (Peter Sarsgaard – Knight And Day, Orphan) other Green Lantern Corp members such as Sinestro (Mark Strong – The Eagle, The Guard) don’t believe a human is skilled enough to hold down his role.

The screenwriters really have made a real mess of Green Lantern. The script is clunky at best as they try to fit too much into the film’s running time. Storylines revolving around Hal’s emotions around his father’s death and his relationship with his family are introduced and then forgotten while the importance of Hal’s past friendship with Hector is not mentioned until it is far too late to have the audience interested. A worse crime is the writers seem to sap every bit of drama from the early scenes involving the Parallax (making for one of the worst openings to a film ever) and write some lines that are so lame  (especially between Carol and Hal) that even the writers of Days Of Our Lives would groan.

The other sad fact is that director, Martin Campbell (Edge Of Darkness, Casino Royale) seems to lose complete control of the film. Surely, he could have spoken up about the poor script and he should be shot for allowing such poor CG being released to the public. Many were predicting that the films CG would be some of the best we had ever seen, but when you compare it to a film with graphics as stunning as Avatar or Rise Of The Planet Of The Apes you are looking at a real second rate film.

The one person who can’t be blamed for Green Lantern being average is Ryan Reynolds. While many were critical of him taking the role, he was actually pretty good. We’re not talking Oscars or anything, but he does what he needs to do and makes the character of Hal Jordan totally believable. Those that were ready to criticize him should hang their heads in shame became in many ways Ryan Reynolds is what makes Green Lantern watchable.

Green Lantern is a okay watch, but will be most likely be enjoyed more by those who are fans of the comic book series as a better understanding of the characters is needed, due to the fact that the writers don’t really offer any for the audience. A scene inserted into the end credits seems to suggest that the creators are hoping for a Green Lantern 2, lets hope if they go down that path that they start again with a new team of writers and especially a new director. Okay, but could have been a hell of a lot better.

Year: 2011

Director: Martin Campbell

Stars: Ryan Reynolds, Blake Lively

Classification: M

Runtime: 114 mins

Buzz Rating:

Available on DVD from 7th December, 2011

Dave Griffiths

It’s funny that Steven Spielberg is attached to the movie Super 8 because one of the things that hits you during the movie is that same feeling you felt the first time you saw E.T. The fresh-faced kids, a young actress that you know is going to be a star and even an alien that just wants to get home. It’s all there, but you can’t really say that J.J. Abrams has copied a single thing from the classic… because what he has done is create an individual film that shines for about 90% of its running time.

Super 8 sees a group of kids, led by Charles (Riley Griffiths – newcomer) and Joe (Joel Courtney – newcomer) trying to make a zombie film, but in doing so they accidentally catch a massive train crash on camera. However, this isn’t any ordinary train crash because soon the town is haunted by the disappearance of people, dogs and lots of things made by metal. Convinced that something is going on the kids decide to investigate. Meanwhile Joe’s father, Jackson (Kyle Chandler – Morning, TV’S Friday Night Lights) is called to investigate the crash. He also suspects the military is covering up something but is also worried about his son’s budding relationship with Alice (Elle Fanning – Somewhere, The Nutcracker in 3D).

J.J. Abrams (Star Trek, Mission Impossible 3) really has outdone himself here. He doesn’t fall into the trap of introducing the alien too early… after all the main part of this story is the relationship between Joe, his friends, Alice and his father. To his credit Abrams never lets the sci-fi aspect of the film overshadow those relationships… perhaps the right way to describe this film is a drama with some sci-fi thrown in. The train crash scene is enough to show anyone that J.J. Abrams is one of the finest directors we have around at the moment. It’s intense and stunning (without going over the top) and you do genuinely find yourself worried about the characters as they run through it. The only let down is the final 15 minutes of the film. The flowery end has ‘Spielberg’ written all over it and is ultimately what prevents Super 8 from being one of the finest films to surface over the last couple of years.

The other stroke of genius Abrams reveals is in his casting. Those who are fans of the TV series Friday Night Lights know what Kyle Chandler is capable of, and he certainly doesn’t fail to deliver here. Chandler is brilliant and it is a shame that his character kind of fades away into nothing towards the end of the film. But where Abrams really has made the right choice is with the kids. They are all brilliant but Joel Courtney seems to be the one that will have the massive career ahead of him… he is a natural talent. He is also well supported by Elle Fanning who seems to be following in her sister’s footsteps and is blossoming into a fine actress.

The first 90% of Super 8 are brilliant and Abrams really needs to be congratulated for his skill and vision, but the last 15 minutes of this film really do leave a bad taste in your mouth, it’s a shame it ends with such a PG ending rather then live up to its convictions. Still, Super 8 does more than enough to impress and is certainly worth a look.

Year: 2011

Director: J.J. Abrams

Stars: Elle Fanning, Joel Courtney, Kyle Chandler, Riley Griffiths

Classification: M

Runtime: 112 mins

Rating:

Available on DVD from 17th Nov, 2011

Dave Griffiths

It seems weird to be using the word realistic to describe a film about an alien invasion, yet that is the word that best sums up Battle: Los Angeles. See this isn’t another trumped version of Independence Day, no this is an alien invasion filmed in the style of a war film… if you think of Black Hawk Day or The Hurt Locker then you are in the right ballpark.

Staff Sgt. Michael Nantz (Aaron Eckhart – Rabbit Hole, Love Happens) has just made the toughest decision of his life – he has decided to bring his Army career to an end. Nantz finds all the young recruits cruising past him on a beach run and while he doesn’t like to admit it he is haunted by the fact that some of his men were killed on his watch in Iraq. However his move into retirement doesn’t go smooth. Just hours after he makes his decision he is called upon to join 2^nd Lt. William Martinez’s (Ramon Rodriguez – Harlem Hostel, Transformers: Revenge Of The Fallen) squad as they are called into action when a group of meteorites head towards Earth. This leaves squad member Cpl. Jason Lockett (Cory Hardrict – TV’S Dark Blue & Accidentally On Purpose) fuming as he blames Nantz for the death of his brother in Iraq. But then the stakes are raised again when the ‘meteorites’ turn out to be an invading Alien Army and Martinez’s squad are on the frontline.

Director, Jonathan Liebesman (The Killing Room, The Texas Chainsaw Massacre: The Beginning) needs to be congratulated for giving this film such a ‘real’ look, his step-up from making a B-Grade horror film is beyond extraordinary and he really shows Hollywood that he has the skills to become a top director. The early on scenes where we see the squad searching through residential Los Angeles looking for survivors is eerily realistic and certainly builds the tension for the audience. Unfortunately though, Liebesman is let down by screenwriter, Chris Bertolini (Madso’s War, The General’s Daughter) who despite a good basic storyline fills important scenes with some awful, lame, action-film lines. It’s probably best if you don’t try and think about the sci-fi elements of the aliens either… it’s obvious Bertolini certainly didn’t, because there are more flaws then you can keep count of. Still, for the most part the film does hold up, thankfully the script doesn’t allow for child-characters like Hector (Bryce Cass – Cool Dog, TV’S ER) to become annoying, and it plays up the ‘hatred’ between Nantz and Lockett well, without over doing it.

The clear stand-out in this film however is Aaron Eckhart. He was harshly done by when he failed to receive an Oscar nod for Rabbit Hole but he shows here that even if you put him in a sci-fi film he brings his A-Class acting skills to work each day. The other acting success from Battle: Los Angeles is Michelle Rodriguez (Machete, Tropico de Sangre). She is the actress that just keeps giving, and even a jail stint didn’t seem to damage her career.

Battle: Los Angeles is a big step-up from the disappointment that was Skyline. The cinematography is spot on and despite some script slip-ups (and some glaring goofs – night turning to day within seconds) this is one film that does the War genre proud.

Year: 2011

Director: Jonathan Liebsman

Stars: Aaron Eckhart, Ramon Rodriguez, Cory Hardrict, Michelle Rodriguez

Classification: M

Runtime: 116 mins

Rating:

Dave Griffiths