Starring: Taylor Kitsch, Liam Neeson, Rihanna
Based in the waters off Hawaii, the story centres around a long-running NASA project, which had been sending signals out to a far off planet deemed similar enough to Earth to be able to support life. And surprise, surprise, some visitors from that planet turn up and they’re not quite as friendly as the boffins had hoped.
Luckily, however, the invaders land in the middle of the biggest naval excercise on the planet. In the meantime, we’re introduced to cocky young officer Alex Hopper (Kitsch), whose attitude keeps getting the better of his potential, but who might, just might, come good in a crisis. And then there’s gorgeous and cheeky, but brave, gunner Raikes (Rihanna) and the grizzled father-in-law hard man admiral (Liam Neeson). Stop me when when this starts sounding familiar.
And yet, while there’s nothing new here – think Independence Day meets Transformers – the effects are great, and the way the film is eventually linked to the game actually works surprisingly well. It does exactly what it says on the aliens disaster movie tin, and is willing to make fun of itself in the process. It’s overlong, and easily forgotten, but still half-decent entertainment cannon fodder.
Verdict: Two stars
