Movie Monday - Battleship

Yesterday I dragged the future hubby to see Battleship. Yes, I know -- that sounds backwards. But he was tired and grumpy from a long weekend spent fishing whereas I was uber excited to see ships blown out of the water and aliens flying around, so there was some dragging involved. 

I didn't have high expectations for Battleship going in. After seeing the same preview again (and again... and again... and AGAIN) I figured I had the movie figured out. War games start, aliens attack, good guys save the day. While this is, in essence, what happens... Battleship is SO much more. 

I mean, how can you not love a movie that starts off with the main character (the yummy Taylor Kitsch, playing the rebellious, underachieving Hopper) breaking into a convenience store to steal a late night burrito for his future lady love (Brooklyn Decker) and getting tased not once, but TWICE on his way back to the bar? You cannot make that stuff up. Well, I mean, obviously you can -- they did for the movie. But still, pure entertainment right there.

The story line was pretty simple. Stupid scientists send some super strong beacon out into space hoping to get a response back (really? who thought this was a good idea?) and five years later they get what they want -- except it isn't REALLY what they want, because the aliens are the cute green friendly kind. The aliens DO have cool spaceships/weapons/I don't even KNOW what to call them and they land off the coast of Oahu... where, it just so happens, the international naval war games JUST started. Some sort of weird force field goes up, isolating three ships from the rest, and effectively cutting off the military from getting in. The main objective is to stop the aliens from transmitting another signal back to their home planet. Plus, you know, staying alive and saving the entire human race. 

I guess I can most easily compare Battleship to the first Transformers movie. Yes, it was cheesy. Yes, it had big blow stuff up action. Yes, it had an abundance of newbie actors (with the exception of Liam Neeson, who, while not a main character, was still awesome). AND IT WAS SPECTACULAR. I'm talking jump up in my seat (okay, I didn't really, but I was tempted) cheer on the good guys spectacular. I mean, I was ready to join the Navy and go fight aliens when I left the theater (until I remembered boats make me sea sick).  

No, it's not a deep thinking movie. But you know what -- sometimes those are the best kind. It IS a sit back, enjoy your popcorn, laugh your ass off, cheer for the good guys, oogle all the awesome effects, feel good about your country kind of movie. Especially since one of the main characters is the real life solider Greg Gadson who lost both his legs in Afghanistan.

Even Rihanna wasn't bad (and I am so not a fan). I was afraid they were going to play her up as a sex symbol, but instead she was the funny/bad ass weapons chick. AND she was fully clothed the entire time! Color me impressed. 

5/5 STARS