Battleship
2012 · Directed by Peter Berg
Original language: English
- thriller
- action
- adventure
- science fiction
The story
When mankind beams a radio signal into space, a reply comes from ‘Planet G’, in the form of several alien crafts that splash down in the waters off Hawaii. Lieutenant Alex Hopper is a weapons officer assigned to the USS John Paul Jones, part of an international naval coalition which becomes the world's last hope for survival as they engage the hostile alien force of unimaginable strength. While taking on the invaders, Hopper must also try to live up to the potential that his brother, and his fiancée's father—an Admiral—expect of him.
What it’s like
Bright, saturated daylight over open ocean, with hard sun glare on grey steel decks and wide establishing shots of warships under blue Pacific skies, then murky, sea-spray-smeared close quarters once the fighting starts. The camera is restless and handheld in the combat sequences, cutting fast between sailors' faces, consoles and churning water, while the score swells with big brass and percussive pulses that never really let up. The alien ships are glossy, heavy-metal shapes that glint under the sun, and the cityscapes of Honolulu and Hong Kong are rendered in glassy, polished digital sheen. Cozy this is not, but it is loud, bright and busy, a summer-blockbuster sit that suits a Saturday afternoon or a noisy movie night with friends. Pacing is relentless once the battle begins, with short bursts of quieter, slightly corny character scenes between engagements, and the emotional arcs are about a restless young officer proving himself to his brother and his future father-in-law. Violence is frequent and mostly bloodless but explosive, with ships sinking, crews hurt and cities levelled, and some peril and tension throughout, though little gore. Made for viewers who want spectacle, sea-based action and a straightforward underdog rally rather than anything subtle or slow.
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