BATTLESHIP Review

I have seen a lot of films this year, but the one that I was most excited about was Battleship.

Battleship is essentially a 2012 science fiction film about an alien invasion. I’m a big sucker for action and aliens. Transformers is another favourite of mine.

However, this a review of Battleship, and I will stick to it. I think the main hype for Battleship was because Rihanna, the famous singer, featured in it. I will admit, she was part of the reason I wanted to see it, but the main reason was because of the trailer! I saw the trailer in early 2012, and my jaw dropped. I had to see the film. The trailer was full of explosions, aliens, huge warships and furious battles.

Now for some actual information. The film was directed by Peter Berg (who also directed Hancock) and was released by Universal Pictures in 2012. The main cast characters are: Taylor Kitsch, Liam Neeson, Alexander Skarsgard, Rihanna, Brooklyn Decker and Tadanobu Asano.
It is set in Hawaii, at the national RIMPAC naval exercises. Naval fleets from all over the world take part in the RIMPAC exercises including Japan and the USA. You’re probably thinking ‘so where do the aliens come into this?’
In 2005, scientists discovered an exoplanet outside our own Solar System which was a similar size and with similar conditions to those of Earth. It transmits a powerful signal from a communications array in Hawaii. During the RIMPAC exercises, five alien spacecraft arrive on Earth in response to the signal and coincidentally park themselves in the ocean right where the Naval exercises are taking place.
I should probably mention at this point, that the battleships themselves play a big role in the film. During the film we follow 3 vessels. Firstly, the USS John Paul Jones, an Arleigh Burke class destroyer on which the main character (Alex Hopper) has risen to a Lieutenant. Secondly, the USS Sampson, a similar class destroyer to the John Paul Jones which is commanded by Alex’s older brother, Stone. The third ship is a Japanese Kongo class destroyer, Myoko, commanded by Captain Nagata. The 3 ships are sent to investigate the strange alien structures poking out above the waves, but as they get in close, a huge forcefield is deployed by the alien ships, trapping the 3 vessels inside. Every other warship in the RIMPAC exercises is outside the forcefield, and unable to penetrate through it.
Eventually, after a lot of sacrifice, determination, luck and a stroke of genius by Alex Hopper, the forcefield is finally breached and the alien ships destroyed.

I loved this film, and I will definitely be buying it on DVD soon. As I said, I’m a big sucker for action, explosions, girls and aliens – Battleship has it ALL. It is honestly one of the best action films I have seen in a while. I even found myself saying ‘whoa’ and ‘wow’ while sitting in the cinema watching it!
I seriously recommend this film. You will not be disappointed.