Battleship Review

 It isn't every Friday that a Hollywood movie first gets released in India and then in it's country of origin. However, 'Battleship' is an exception and that too full five weeks in advance. Though there has been a rare instance or two when a film has been released a day or so earlier in India, a five weeks margin is massive by all standards. No wonder, this also led to apprehension that maybe 'Battleship' was one of those B films that would probably find a direct-to-DVD release in USA since the makers may have lost confidence in the final product.

To my pleasant surprise though, this was not the case and I am sure that when it will eventually release globally, it would occupy the top slot of the charts. An action thriller, it is one popcorn munching affair that just can't be ignored!

The film's plot is hardly complicated and it gets on track sooner than one would have expected. While Earthi-zens are trying to make communication with the extraterrestrials, it is time for them to respond as well. Well, they respond, and how! They send five battleships to strike earth and when that happens, there is a havoc of unheard proportions. Earth strikes back as well with its biggest 'battleship' in place. However, will that be good enough?

Typically in a film that narrates the story of alien invasion on earth, the characters are brought quite late in the day with just their 'presence' haunting the audience. Well, this move had backfired in last year's release 'The Darkest Hour' since it had tested one's patience. In case of 'Battleship' though one has hardly any reason to claim since the action begins much expectation. After a routine setup of 'younger brother reprimanded by elder brother for his callous ways' episode, it is time for battle lines to be drawn (actually sea and sky for that matter) with aliens striking without any warning.

What happens from this point on is sheer thrilling because after the mayhem created in the concrete jungles, aliens set sea as their target. Now this is what turns out to be a unique experience because altogether different dynamics are explored, what with US battleship taking aliens heads-on (at instances, quite literally). Though going by the sheer size and material of these super powers, it is quite apparent that it would be impossible to defeat them, ultimately it's the combination of skills, guts, common sense and some smart war tactics (courtesy 'The Art Of War') that wins the game for the Earthizens.

Just like the 'Transporter' series though, be prepared to hear the sound of metal in practically every frame of the film. 'Battleship' is undoubtedly loud and at times it also creates a deafening effect. However if such visual effects driven films are one's poison of the weekend, 'Battleship' is just the right dish to relish. This means that emotional quotient does take a step back (though the brother angle is briefly explored in the beginning, and successfully as well) while there is (thankfully) no place for romance. It is some non-stop action, fireworks and a couple of nice twists in the battle that do the trick.

Performances wise actors just about fit the bill but thankfully rise about what one may term as 'sleepwalking through the roles'. Here Taylor Kitsch is reasonably emotive and not as wooden as all the actors in 'Wrath of the Titans' which released just recently. Brooklyn Decker as his love interest has an even lesser part (and more clothes) than her last notable release 'Just Go With It' though one wishes there was more of her (pun intended) on display. As for Rihanna then well, she should stick to music. She doesn't impress at all in her debut acting assignment and is clearly an unwanted inclusion. Also, Liam Neeson has just a bit role and the only value addition he brings is to get a credible name on the cast list.

Director Peter Berg isn't new to the action genre and he had demonstrated that well in 'Hancock' as well. He makes good progress here with 'Battleship' which is a much better written and executed film. Though his storytelling was most effective (due to subject material in hand) in 'The Kingdom', with 'Battleship' he turns out to be a good addition to VFX driven action affairs.

This is evident in quite a few scenes that catch your attention. Whether it is the first ever mega sequence involving the mega alien ships emerging form the sea to the fight that transpires soon after to the counter attack by the battleship to the sequence where aliens ugly face emerges (literally) to the strategy adopted to find the 'water displacement' to the mind games played with the aliens to old timers on a 'museum ship' taking this fight in their own hands, it's the action that speaks the loudest.

Of course during the last 15-20 minutes one does start getting exhausted by the sheer noise and also the fact that a sense of repetition starts setting in. Still, going by the fact that one had expected a B movie in the offering, it is still a welcome relief that overall the film turns out to be quite entertaining and the kind that deserves a big screen visit!

Rating: ***1/2