Battleship - Thoughts

I get the feeling that it’s the season for alien invasion movies; in 2010 it was Skyline, in 2011 it was Battle Los Angeles, and now it’s Battleship. Being an ardent sci-fi fan, I’m not complaining in the least. While I am yet to watch the first 2, and most reviews have rated them either poor or average, they are on my ‘to watch’ list. With Battleship I found the trailer quite impressive, add to that my friends rave reviews post watching the movie. So making an effort to check it out was a given. In Battleship an alien invasion which is largely isolated to Hawaii, forces a cut off group of battleships to engage the alien intruders, and learn of and foil their seemingly hostile intentions.

To cut to the chase early, if you like sci-fi action flicks, you can stop reading here and go watch the movie. Is it fun? Yes. Is it blockbuster scale action? Yes. Are the sci-fi elements and the aliens cool? Indeed. Is Battleship entertaining? Without a doubt! Add to that Peter Berg’s efforts, and his Transformers touch becomes very evident; from the camera angles, narrative development, scene presentation, and character romance element. The plot is pretty straight forward, so don’t go into Battleship expecting intrigue. Similarly, don’t take it too seriously, as some things do seem a little over the top and illogical. Positives include the homage to senior war veterans, which was a wonderful addition. Pace was pretty decent, and though the movie had a 131 minute runtime, it wasn’t really noticeable. If you enjoy big sci-fi action movies, you’ll enjoy Battleship, especially if the Navy and sea forces interest you.

Taylor Kitsch plays the lead role of Alex Hopper, who is interestingly a very unlikely hero. From the opening sequences he seems more cut out to be in the next American Pie movie.  That said it’s a unique change and he does a good job of playing the D game and not necessarily the best naval leader. Brooklyn Decker plays Samantha, the female lead who does justice to both her character as well as the feel good/look hot factor. Being a relatively fresh face, who did a good job with her act, her performance was quite likable. Alexander Skarsgård of True Blood fame plays Stone Hopper; Alex Hopper’s elder brother and senior Naval officer. Other notable performances include Liam Neeson and Rihanna, who is making her big screen debut. Her performance though is pretty forgettable, not bringing much worth mention. She plays Raikes, and for most part is a stereotype Afro-American woman.  

Being in a rush to check this one out, I had to make a dash to the theatre. Video was impressive and clear throughout. The look and feel of the movie was pretty impressive, special effects being quite nice. The large panorama visuals and editing was very similar to Transformers and reminded me of Michael Bay’s work. Complemented with the remarkable surround sound, with noticeable usage of the 3D sound stage, the action sequences were very enjoyable.   

My Recommendation: Watch It + (Battling aliens at high seas)