TAKE A MOVIE TO WORK: Battle: Los Angeles

Great review. Can't wait to see this!

The character is Air Force. And Gary Kirby was too busy tweeting to watch the scenes between the explosions. There's plenty of story, revealed through what the characters are able to know firsthand, and excellent characterizations, particularly Aaron Eckhart.

"...almost no plot development..."

Let's see: (possible spoilers):

Arc1: get to the civilians
Arc2: get themselves and the civilians out
Arc3: go back in to achieve new objective

For each arc, there are escalating complications and conflicts: internal, between persons, and between protagonists and antagonists. Each successive arc raises the stakes for the main characters. Sympathetic characters die along the way. Antagonist forces become increasingly powerful. The end of life as we know it looms.

That's about as classic a plot as you can ask for. You may not like the plot, you may feel it is hackneyed and predictable, but there is most definitely a plot and plot development. In fact, if you look closely, you'll see the plot I've laid out above also happens to be the plot of "Star Wars" and dozens of other films.

I was looking forward to this movie until I heard that... *spoiler alert*...

*spoiler*

*spoiler*

The military needed the LA Bloods and Crips to turn the tide of battle against the aliens.

Yeah, no thanks.

If Roger Ebert hates it for the snotty reasons he gives (or any other reason or no reason at all)I just know I am going to love it.

I saw this movie with my wife and my 10 year old grandson (if he noticed the language, he didn't let on), and we all loved it. That last scene said it all.

Bill, thanks for correcting your misspeak about the rank. Only the Air Force has tech sergeants, and they can't hold a candle to Marine Staff Sergeants. (No, I was never a Marine, but I served with them during my time in the Navy. A humbling experience.)

Okay, you convinced me! My son & I will go see it Sunday evening!

Dang Bill, I liked it when I saw it now I may have to go see it again. ;p

Regarding Roger Ebert's pan: I personally prefer SF author Spider Robinson's take on criticism:

"People who only read what the critics tell them to read, deserve what they get."

"Battle: Los Angeles" is noisy, violent, ugly and stupid.

So ... just like the left. Why don't they relate to it?

Had read some reviews, even from supposedly conservative sites (eg Good News Film Reviews) that dumped on this movie. So, I assumed it was another Independence Day, and decided not to bother. Then I came across this review, and because I respect Bill Whittle tremendously for his intelligent political commentary, I gave it a go. Just came back from the theatre - a big two thumbs up! I thought the "hand held camera" effect would be a problem - something other reviews complained about - but it wasn't; it fit in well with the wild action and wasn't distracting. And then ditto to all of Bill's comments.

Ah, come on Bill! Eckhart played STAFF Sergeant NANTZ!

They even helpfully display it on screen when they introduce his character.

I spent most of this evening watching Paul, shaking my head at the "look at the dumb hick Christians" subplot, and wishing I'd bought a ticket to B:LA instead.

The handheld didn't bother me at all. It was a very entertaining film.

I found BLA shallow in a typical Hollywood sense, but at least it wasn't shallow AND leftist. It gives our military a hearty handshake and brisk salute as it plunges into the kiddie pool of action fx sequences unencumbered by real characters or a meaningful story. Well done technically... But plot holes and unexplored relationships detract from the effort.

Thanks for this review. I agree with every point made. Well done.

I appreciate Bill's review and do think most of most of the negative reviews have to do with political and cultural ideology. I live in Baton Rouge and enjoyed recognizing the occasional location.

A serious question - I don't entirely understand how these "tax credits for movies" work. Is this corporate welfare - the government in effect giving taxpayer money to movie companies just so they will shoot here? Or is this much more innocent like well hey we don't tax them as much as California? Good conservatives would be leery if we're talking about the former yes?

I read that Roger Ebert review, which along with having watched Skyline, almost and probably should have discouraged me from watching Battle LA. I'm very glad it didn't however because i left this movie with a smile. The first time I've left a Sci Fi movie with a smile since Star Trek. Not for the political reasons which I didn't take too much time to think about until watching this review, but for the reason that it just felt good. It was intense but not too bloody and not gory at all. It almost felt hole-some, like you just watched the good guys in a real fight, the good guys you haven't seen have any sort of victory in the movies for a long time. In Ebert's review there were a few things I disagree with actually; there really was enough plot explanation to get you through without questions and the speeches that are made were neither too long nor too cheesy. I think it was more a war movie than a sci fi move but had enough of everything to be solid and enjoyable. I'm glad to have finally seen a good review of this movie. Thanks.

Poor Roger. He doesn't get it. This movie isn't about the science or the fiction, it's about the chaos of war where adaptation to an ever changing enviornment is paramount. The best laid plans fail, others are invented on the fly, they fail, yet the mission and the dedication to it remain. They will not quit. To me, this is the theme and it is well demonstrated with explosive action, solid acting and a plausible if GCI script. And if it offends the delicate sensibilities of the artist/filmaker types so much the better. That is just another kudo and recommedation for everyone to see this flick.

I'm sorry, but this is a stupid movie. Watch it if you just want action, but let's not pretend it is a smart movie. Why the heck would aliens invade LA with ground forces? What specific resources, natural or otherwise, does LA have that the aliens need to occupy it and not just blast it apart Independence Day style? Going in like that, they're just asking for a repeat of Stalingrad. Utterly brainless.

Give me the Posleen war series movie adaptation, please!

Saw it with my wife last night based on Bill's recommendation and really liked it. Maybe a little too intense for her tastes but I loved that it shows how real people would react in a crisis like this. Terrific cast and terrific entertainment.

Thank goodness we have politically correct aliens to allow us to see our guys in action!

Heaven forbid we see the real monsters they face today.

"Thank goodness we have politically correct aliens to allow us to see our guys in action!

Heaven forbid we see the real monsters they face today."

That is true. I was, however, delighted with the insinuation that our real enemy is inhuman. Surprisingly appalled, also, at the dissection scene because I had been mentally photoshopping in our real enemies in place of the aliens and, well, you just don't do that to a human.

Thanks for the review, Bill. Dynamite. Rotten Tomatoes gives it a poor rating and the reviews give no inkling that this film is of a pro-good guy genre. That's something that I like to know and I was going to skip this movie because I am dreadfully tired of the disrespect with which Hollywood movies treat our military.

Keep the information flowing, Bill.

I cried about seven times as I watched this movie. The emotional power put into this film is amazing. It is one of the best movies of all time.