Film review: Battleship (three out of five stars)

(12A) 131 mins

Director: Peter Berg

Starring: Alexander Skarsgård, Brooklyn Decker, Taylor Kitsch

THERE’S always that awkward first third of an alien action movie in which the director wants to introduce the characters while all the audience want is the punch-up to start.

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If you’re Ridley Scott you just build up the tension - in Battleship we have some rather good comedy.

Not vast amounts, just enough to prevent the early scenes from flagging.

The film is loosely based on the ages-old game, though there is only one sequence which has a passing resemblance.

The plot sees our scientists firing off a signal to a distant planet - one that looks able to sustain life as we know it.

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However, instead of arriving with open arms those nasty aliens send a scouting party armed to the teeth.

Unlucky for them, though, they land near Pearl Harbour where naval fleets from across the world have gathered (not so clever aliens then).

To provide a human element to the mayhem we have two brothers (Skarsgård and Kitsch) and the girlfriend of one of the siblings (Deker) fighting for their lives.

The singer Rihanna makes her film debut and slots in quite well.

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The biggest success, though, are the aliens who look good and are allowed to have individual characteristics (eg big ugly one, intellectual looking one, scared witless one).

The CGI is also outstanding with the invading gunships very impressive.

The downside is a plot that follows a very predictable path.

However, the journey to the inevitable conclusion is a roller-coaster ride of explosions and twisted metal.

The two hours plus don’t drag and even if you do get a bit bored, the soundtrack has plenty of great rock numbers to enjoy.

Steve Payne

Screening courtesy of Cineworld Crawley

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