Battleship (2012) | Movie Review

Battleship

Release Date: 12 April 2012

Running Time: 2 hours 12 minutes

Director: Peter Berg

Cast: Taylor Kitsch, Alexander Skarsgard, Rihanna,

Brooklyn Decker, Tadanobu Asano and Liam Neeson

Synopsis: Peter Berg (Hancock) produces and directs Battleship, an epic-scaled action-adventure that unfolds across the seas, in the skies and over land as our planet fights for survival against a superior force. Inspired by Hasbro’s classic naval combat game, Battleship stars Taylor Kitsch as Lt. Alex Hopper, a Naval officer assigned to the USS John Paul Jones; Brooklyn Decker as Sam Shane, a physical therapist and Hopper’s fiancée; Alexander Skarsgård as Hopper’s older brother, Stone, Commanding Officer of the USS Sampson; Rihanna as Petty Officer Raikes, Hopper’s crewmate and a weapons specialist on the USS John Paul Jones; and international superstar Liam Neeson as Hopper and Stone’s superior (and Sam’s father), Admiral Shane. [Source]

Contains Spoilers

Started off with some random scene at the bar with alcohol drinks and a conversation between the Hopper brothers, it really got me thinking whether I was sitting in the right screening hall. But they caught up pretty quick and without realising it, the whole scene moved forward into the future, leaving me to pounder why the sudden change in settings and storyline.

Storyline

There was not much to its storyline because some part were simply predictable and funny to say. There was this one part where their ship was sinking. All the crew has already jumped off the ship in their rescue suits, into the portable boat. It was all but Alex and Captain Nagata (Commanding Officer of JDS Myoko) who ran up to the edge of the tilted ship, and jump off into the sea after that.

Sounds familiar?

Really looked like some parody of Titanic. You might have heard me telling Kishen (my +1 for the screening) "You jump, I jump. Just like in Titanic. Only this time it's bromance since it's two guys jumping off the boat." haha!

Weaponry and Visual Effects

Once they've moved forward to when Alex Hopper joined the Navy, got together with his brother's superior's daughter, Sam Shane, and how he is ALWAYS late for work; that's where the film name "Battleship" and its name clicked.

What they lack in terms of storyline and narratives, it is all compensated in their visual effects and the weaponry that the Navy uses.

Surround sound system in the cinema hall made the effects even better and kept us at the edge of our seats.

Battleship the Game

The most impressive part was when Captain Nagata showed Alex what the Japanese have known and been using against the Americans for over 20 years - to track movements based on water buoyant.

The exact same thing as the Hasbro's game of Battleship (well, duh! That's where the idea of the film came from right? \(-.-)/) but this time it's like a live game. It was quite a sight having to see them playing it for real.

Verdict

If you're looking for a film filled with visual effects, this would be it. Script and storyline wise it was not too bad because personally liked it although I was quite confused in some areas of the show - it was like an unfinished story.

But I was really amazed with the CGIs and Rihanna's acting was quite good so-to-say. However, it was really funny to see that whenever she jump into the sea or battle against the alien robots, her cap never leave her head. haha!

Ratings: 4/5 because I liked it! And Kishen too!

"It is amazing to see how they have made a game into a movie. Imagine seeing 'Snake and Ladder' being played in the cinemas." - Kishen. (he's going to kill me for this lol)

P.S. There's a short clip at the end of the credits which I missed. So if you're watching it any time soon, remember to stay till the end! :)

Thanks to Churp Churp and United International Pictures for the exclusive screening tickets! :)