Battle Los Angeles (2011)

A war movie documentary-style wrapped up in an alien invasion storyline: this should have been a great science fiction film.  But it's not because of its sentimental use of every war-movie cliche there is.  Examples: the heroic speech from the leader of the platoon, the distrust of the new guy who got their friend killed on their last mission, the young marine in charge who loses his cool and can't make a decision.  If you've seen Saving Private Ryan and Black Hawk Down than you've seen this movie:  it's just aliens instead of Germans or Somalians.  I have to admit, I'm also getting tired of these "realistically" shot battles as if there's a documentary film crew following our heroes when there isn't a documentary crew following them.   Already this style is becoming overused in so many video games today.  Did the producers really think they were doing something special?  I've done a little bit of home work and learned that the director, Jonathan Liebesman, won the directing gig by creating a visual presentation that blew the producers away.  You'd have hoped that someone with such passion would have cared about the script as much as the technique to shoot the film.  Overall there is some great special effect work and Aaron Eckhart's presence can almost carry the film past its flaws, but in the end it's an empty movie pretending to be something its not.  Please don't make a sequel.  Grade: C.