Battle: Los Angeles (3/11/2011)

Rated PG-13 for sustained and intense sequences of war violence and destruction, and for language.

Starring Aaron Eckhart, Michael Pena, Bridget Moynahan and Michelle Rodriguez

Directed by Jonathan Liebesman (The Killing Room, Texas Chainsaw Massacre: The Beginning and Darkness Falls)

If all you’re looking for is a fun, action-packed popcorn flick, then Battle: Los Angeles will meet all of your expectations.

The story is hardly original, in fact, one synopsis simply read, “A Marine platoon faces off against an alien invasion in Los Angeles.” That pretty much sums it up.

The trailer really got me pumped up…even in spite of last year’s Skyline which was almost enough to make me skip this one altogether. Honestly, I just wasn’t sure I could sit through another lame alien invasion movie. But Battle: Los Angeles blew Skyline out of the water. The truth is, most of us have seen more alien invasion movies than we can count (or care to admit), but Battle: Los Angeles plays more like a war film than an alien invasion film and I thought it was really entertaining.

There are a few things to like about this movie, for example, the scene where a Marine wonders if the aliens are just as afraid as they are. He says something like, “I wonder if they are soldiers like us; just doing what they are told?” Another thing I liked was the theme of brotherhood that ran throughout the film. It really was more like Black Hawk Down than Independence Day.

The performance by Aaron Eckhart as Staff Sergeant Michael Nantz is perfect. The film also stars: Ramon Rodriguez, Cory Hardrict, and Gino Anthony Pesi. While they may not be as recognizable, they are all surprisingly good. I think one of the factors that made the characters interesting was their back stories. Nantz is retiring and suffering from the effects of losing his men during the last mission. Another solider is about to get married, and another is just trying to become a doctor. Then there is Cpl. Kevin Harris; his brother was one of the men killed in Nantz’s last mission – can you say drama?!?

All that being said, Battle: Los Angeles is far from a perfect movie. Director Jonathan Liebesman’s style is more distracting than entertaining. He loves the close-up shots and there are plenty (or way too many) of them. It also seems like he’d rather not hold a single camera still…way too much movement for me.

The script isn’t anything amazing either, but seriously you are watching a movie about alien invasion. So there is a lot of shouting and shooting. We don’t get to learn who the aliens are, what they want (a few fake newsmen speculate that they have come here for our water) or what their plans are.

In the end, Battle: Los Angeles is pure-entertainment. It has its flaws here and there, but it manages to entertain the audience with explosive, jaw-dropping visual effects and battle sequences. If you’re looking for a fun night out at the movies, then give Battle: Los Angeles a shot…it’s a decent Rental.

SHOULD KIDS SEE IT?
It is rated PG-13 for sustained and intense sequences of war violence and destruction, which is 90% of the movie. There is also some language throughout.

Conversation Starter
Three Simple Questions (with Answers You May Be Looking for):

Q: What’s the message/theme of this movie?
A: One of the themes that shows up in subtle ways throughout the film is about making wise decisions. Staff Sergeant Michael Nantz questions the decisions he made during his last mission and it costs men their lives. Civilian and father Joe Rincon, questions his decision to stay in the police station when the aliens first attack. Newly commissioned 2nd Lt. William Martinez struggles to make decisions as the firefights escalate. In a powerful scene between Martinez and Nantz, Nantz says to decide right or left, but you must make a decision.

Q: How do you suppose we—as serious Christ-followers—should react to this movie?
A: We all have to make decisions. I’m pretty confident those decisions don’t involve fighting aliens, but many of us have to make big decisions every day. So what are some big decisions?
And how do we make a wise decision?

Well Proverbs 3:5-6 gives us some great advice when it comes to making a wise decision. It says, “Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight.”

Philippians 4:6-7 basically says the same thing, “Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.”

The Message says it this way, “Don’t fret or worry. Instead of worrying, pray. Let petitions and praises shape your worries into prayers, letting God know your concerns. Before you know it, a sense of God’s wholeness, everything coming together for good, will come and settle you down. It’s wonderful what happens when Christ displaces worry at the center of your life.”

Q: How can we move from healthy, Bible-based opinions about this movie to actually living out those opinions?
A: So what does that look like for you?

In our home we made a “prayer wall.” One side has requests and one side has praises. My wife and I encourage our kids to write out prayer requests and tape them to the wall. It sounds a little silly, but we want our kids to develop a prayer life that will help them make wise decisions.

Remember we asked what are some of your big decisions? Well write them out. Create a wall or a journal and watch God answer them.

Don’t spend your time worrying about what to do…pray about what to do.