Battle: Los Angeles

An opportunity to tell a meaningful story is lost in another tale of fighting aliens.

Strange to spend a lot of time setting up Aaron Eckhart's grizzled and aging Vet Nantz (even the slowest kid can outrun him) only to completely drop that issue once the fighting starts. Even stranger to insert Michele Rodriguez into the mix--the only woman--and not have her make the argument that your physicality shouldn't matter. It's Michele Rodriguez for Christ's sake, she personifies attitude!

Of course, without her side of the argument there can be no meaningful relationship between the two and thus, no heart. At least, not the kind that isn't forced in there--cliched and overwrought ("Not a day goes by I don't think about him" and "Your dad was a very brave man").

Still, it's great to see Los Angeles attacked by aliens.

And Marines are always cool.