Battlefield Earth

Rating:
Summary: very different
Review: the look of Battlefield earth was very different and I suppose a lot of viewers had a problem with that ie dark and grainy; however i personally thought it captured the feeling of overcoming overwhelming odds and a hopeless situation. having read the book helped. the second half of the book is far more interesting as it involves now what do we do not that we've handled the oppressors. any "holes in the plot" are also plugged up in the book.

Rating:
Summary: A remarkably inept piece of film-making.
Review: It has been suggested that "suspension of disbelief" is required when watching Battlefield Earth, yet one may be better served removing cogitative thought in its entirety. Central to this thinking is the film's script, a work of primary school scribbling at its most clumsy and uninspired. For those of us who have mastered reading an analogue clock, Battlefield Earth provides little further challenge. One might cite the example of the lead character's name "Goodboy," presumably so christened in case one was unable to decipher who was the hero, in such a flimsy plot. Indeed, the story line itself is laughable, at its focus being the "brilliant" Terl who fails to out-wit an uneducated troglodyte. Indeed so egregiously foolish are the collective Psychlos, one wonders if their combined intellect would be capable of inventing the paperclip, let alone conquer a galaxy.

The failing plot is married perfectly by the weak acting, Forrest Whitaker's acting being only slightly less wooden than his forename might have suggested, indeed a pity considering his previous achievements. To add to this, Travolta's overplaying of the character Terl, pushed Battlefield Earth beyond the realms of humour.

The cinematography was a superb example of how not to shoot films. The decision to use only the top third of the colour spectrum throughout great parts of the film to promote a bleak, unforgiving environment, failed. For such techniques to work, they must work in contrast to other parts of the film. B.E. was of predominately one hue for too great a time, thus served merely to cloy the film's movement and clarity. In addition to such a basic problem, one was forced to endure camera control by drunken incompetents, costume design by Oxfam and editing by MTV rejects with an unhealthy fetish for 'vertical centre wipe' screen changes.

Action sequences and special effects abounded, but both were unimaginative re-hashes of former pieces of cinematography, the Matrix-esque exploding pillars, to name but one obvious example. Furthermore, in comparison to the modern plethora of science fiction films, the special effects were only marginally more intricate than those of a Monty Python sketch.

In essence, B.E. suffers primarily from a script made for mindless morons with no insight into literature more complex than the cooking instructions on a pot noodle, but is not helped by cardboard cut-out acting, and uninspiring special effects.

Rating:
Summary: Proabably the worst film I've ever seen.
Review: Every print of this film should be rounded up and buried in a vault, to be used as a doomsday weapon in the event of a real alien invasion.

The acting was horrible, the writing had plot holes you could fly an entire galaxy through (cavemen learn to fly 1000 year old Harrier jets in 7 days... and the jets work perfectly), and the directing...

Well, let me just say that after sitting through two hours of Roger Christian's dutch angles and stupid overuse of slow-mo and echo-repeats, my neck hurt for two days. What most people would say with irony I say with total conviction: I'll never get those two hours of my life back.

Stay away from Battlefield Earth.

Rating:
Summary: If you miss this, you missed a good movie
Review: I have seen this movie twice and read the book 3 times. Yes, they didn't match word for word but what movie/book does? It was a very enjoyable movie. John Travolta was very good as an insane alien and the other cast members did an excellent job. It was a fun, dark Sci-Fi and worth seeing more than once to get all the fun stuff you missed the 1st time because you were watching all the action. The special effects are way above average and very creative. I read the reviews, went to the movie, thought the reviewers must have seen a different movie from me, went to it again just to be sure and still think the reviewers are more insane than Terl. I agree it wasn't an "A" movie but it was still not as bad as reviewers made out. I give reviews an "F" and shame on them for destroying a good movie. Oh, that's right it did not sex, bloody violence, or bad language - maybe that's why they didn't like it. Hmmmmm

Rating:
Summary: Promises much, delivers little
Review: The Psyclos talk and talk about vaporizing this and vaporizing that, but nothing ever gets vaporized! I wanted to see things blow up real good. I wanted to see things disintegrate, and they never did. With the budget they must have had, vaporizing things should not have been a problem. Walk the walk, don't just talk the talk!

Rating:
Summary: Big Disappoitment
Review: After seeing the trailer for it in Gladiator, i was pretty excited to see this film. However after watching it last night i can only say that i am bitterly disappointed. There were too many plotholes to count and many parts were unbelievable. An Nuclear Bomb destroys an entire planet oh, come on. The beginning of the film felt as if it was rushed, it never stopped to fully explain itself and i can't believe that the decisions they made were those that any human person would make. Also the ending leaves it open for a sequel and i pray that they don't make one, i could only take so much the first time.

Rating:
Summary: All Style
Review: This movie gives a new meaning to style over subtance. The performances are well done and the special effects are excellent but it lacks what a well respected movie MUST have: a cohesive plotline.

Rating:
Summary: Not great but not as bad as some would have you think.
Review: Nobody detests the acting of John "Trevolting" more than I do, but despite that, the movie wasn't that bad. I agree there were a lot of plot holes, such as, the availability of functional 1000 year old jet fuel for the "Jump Jets". None the less the film had some entertainment value. I did get a laugh at how the aliens determined that raw rat was a "Man Animal's" favorite food. I probably wasn't as offended as some as I didn't read the book. All I can say is that some should lighten up a little as other OK but not great films have left out a lot of the book - Dune is a good example. Chill a little and take in to context - it isn't as if they botched up the bible.

Rating:
Summary: I can't believe it's not Hubbard's...
Review: Regardless of the fact that I had finished reading the book just days before seeing the movie on the big screen, I still have to say that Battlefield Earth (movie version) stank to high heaven. Terrible acting, a screenplay that mangled the original story, and the poor directorial choices made in the film truly disgusted me. I am a big Travolta fan, but even he doesn't seem to cut the mustard in this overly-ambitious, terribly self-righteous, and poorly-made film. Watch it if you must, but keep expectations low. And if you want to buy it on DVD or VHS, I would recommend waiting until it's in the bargain bin at your local Wal-Mart, because that is the only possible way that you will get your money's worth.

Rating:
Summary: Not just awful... claim flavoured awful
Review: Reading the few, similarly written positive reviews of Battlefield Earth leaves a funny taste in my mouth... the taste of clams! And no amount of schilling by those that might benefit from the success of this piece of junk will change just how bad it is.

Yes, I've seen it, and Battlefield Earth is awful. Unlike so many awful flicks that somehow provide some camp entertainment, this one just plain sucks. It isn't fun. The acting is terrible. The plot is makes almost no sense, the action is poor, the special effects not that great.

Save your money.