Battle: Los Angeles

[rodneyfaile]

I certainly do not mean to offend anyone. Just sometimes it seems as if the hate train gets rolling out of control. The Internet gets everyone in this pack mentality where they take down a movie as of they were out on the Serengeti.

In my opinion, if people just sit back and enjoy movies for what they are, instead of expending so much effort nitpicking, they might be entertained more often.

Everyone isn't going to like everything, but if you find yourself hating everything, might want to take time and reevaluate. Finding entertainment shouldn't be that hard.

 

[JediG60racer]

Wait for it.
















Aliens.


OH SNAP!!

Audiences love ALIENS.

HOLLA!!

 

[Dart]

I think the big thing with some is that they look for more meaning than what's presented on screen. Kinda like folks who read a book and delve into the text to find something more. Some really get disappointed when a movie is just what it is instead of something deeper. I find those folks tend to be more critical. Not hating, just stating my experience.

That said, I stand by my comments in favour of the flick. I like it and I thought it had some interesting and different elements that we don't usually see in alien attack flicks.

 

[cayman shen]

I can enjoy a movie on a surface level if it's well done, despite my advanced lit degree ANY movie has broader themes (courage, patriotism) that can be considered "meaningful." However, my problem with BLA is the opposite of the usual "hater" gripe: I think the deeper theme is TOO prominent and the film becomes preachy. I'm a relatively patriotic guy, but I tend to react poorly when a work of art pushes an agenda. I support gay marriage but HATED "Chuck and Larry." I support environmental activists but rolled my eyes all the way through "Avatar." I just think BLA was too ham-fisted in the way it tried to be all "America, **** yeah!" Kinda like "Independence Day."

To me, a perfect movie is entertaining on multiple levels. And it doesn't have to be dull, pretentious Oscar bait. "The Iron Giant" comes to mind. "Robocop" as well. (And many others that don't feature friendly robots :lol)

But looking back over the thread, I see I'm repeating myself, so I'm out!

 

[Art Andrews]

This was on TV today and just reminded me of how much I enjoy this film. Not perfect (as I think I mentioned before) but I absolutely love that it is just a story, with no Hollywood message. No agenda. No BS. Just a great little solider's story that happens to include some of the coolest aliens and alien tech I have seen in a long time. Just seemed very well thought out. I want more movies like this and less like "The Earth Earth Stood Still" remake that was on right before it and was the essense of everything that is wrong with modern movies.

 

[crabra comander]

This was on TV today and just reminded me of how much I enjoy this film. Not perfect (as I think I mentioned before) but I absolutely love that it is just a story, with no Hollywood message. No agenda. No BS. Just a great little solider's story that happens to include some of the coolest aliens and alien tech I have seen in a long time. Just seemed very well thought out. I want more movies like this and less like "The Earth Earth Stood Still" remake that was on right before it and was the essense of everything that is wrong with modern movies.

Totally agree. This is why I think Dredd was such a great film.

 

[Art Andrews]

You know... I hadn't made that connection, but you are absolutely right!!!

Totally agree. This is why I think Dredd was such a great film.

 

[The Mad Professor]

I find it funny that the vast majority of people who love this movie are either currently in the military or have been in the past.

The reason why is pretty simple: The way the military units behaved in the movie, how they moved, the tactics they used, the little details on how to clear a room, how they take cover, or even they way they double checked everything was extremely true to life. That is exactly how a real military unit acts in an urban setting.

As a veteran, I love how realistically the military was portrayed.

 

[Kerr Avon]

I like that they portray the military guys as intelligent, caring and competent forces. You know, accurately. Just that is enough to make me like it.

 

[yt]

I find it funny that the vast majority of people who love this movie are either currently in the military or have been in the past.

The reason why is pretty simple: The way the military units behaved in the movie, how they moved, the tactics they used, the little details on how to clear a room, how they take cover, or even they way they double checked everything was extremely true to life. That is exactly how a real military unit acts in an urban setting.

As a veteran, I love how realistically the military was portrayed.

I never thought about it, but you nailed it. It also seems that most of the people who didn't like it were on the other end of the spectrum. :thumbsup

 

[crabra comander]

I never thought about it, but you nailed it. It also seems that most of the people who didn't like it were on the other end of the spectrum. :thumbsup

Yes. Very realistic portrayal. The cliches aren't even cliches. The way that officer acts is just too accurate. Usually they mean well...usually:lol

 

[dascoyne]

My first instinct was to think it was a recruiting film only because the protagonists were military who were effective in the line of duty. It only feels like a recruiting film because members of the armed forces were (gasp) humanized and not morally conflicted about their service.
It was actually a refreshing change from the tired Hollywood formula where the hero has to be a civilian who finds a "smart" solution while the incompetent military with technologically inferior weapons are useless against the space aliens.

I, too, felt like the movie didn't get a fair shake. I liked it a lot.

 

[NormanF]

The only thing I did not like about the movie when it came out and now is the little bits of some "expert" saying they are here for our water.

Sent from my Etch-A-Sketch

 

[The Mad Professor]

Yes. Very realistic portrayal. The cliches aren't even cliches. The way that officer acts is just too accurate. Usually they mean well...usually:lol

 

[crabra comander]

https://encrypted-tbn3.gstatic.com/...xMWNX3pwH2Qt48DA0bvpZCkyxwDyD59AEYa9wTfmR-0uw

:lol Being serious. Although I meant that comment in a good way. I could picture a few soldiers in my unit acting that way.

 

[Matdan97]

I'd imagine the whole shaking hand-held camera shots was to give the audience the feel that this is being filmed by a soldier in combat. Sure, it's a bad way to film a movie, but in some cases it can turn out perfect. Like Jaws was mostly a hand-held film and yet it looks like it's on a gimbal or some device to give a very stable platform for a camera. I liked the film, I guess I'm just a fan of those war-type action movies.

 

[Tan Djarka]

This is another one of those films that seems extremely divisive, mostly because people just don't get it. This wasn't about the alien invasion any more than M. Night Shamalamadingdong's "Signs" was. It's about the redemption of Staff Sgt Nance, like "Signs" was about the rediscovery of faith. "Battle of Los Angeles" could have been set during any conflict, but to keep it "fresh and different", it was an alien invasion. I liked it.