Quartile rating: 6/10 · 1 rating
When mankind beams a radio signal into space, a reply comes from ‘Planet G’, in the form of several alien crafts that splash down in the waters off Hawaii. Lieutenant Alex Hopper is a weapons officer assigned to the USS John Paul Jones, part of an international naval coalition which becomes the world's last hope for survival as they engage the hostile alien force of unimaginable strength. While taking on the invaders, Hopper must also try to live up to the potential that his brother, and his fiancée's father—an Admiral—expect of him.
Battleship is a loud, effects-driven blockbuster adapted from a board game with very little narrative depth. The plot is formulaic alien-invasion fare with thin character arcs and clichéd redemption story. Acting is serviceable at best — Taylor Kitsch struggles to carry the lead, and the supporting cast is largely wasted. Cinematography is competent big-budget spectacle with some decent naval battle visuals, though nothing particularly inventive. Novelty is low — despite the unusual source material, the film plays out as a very standard alien-invasion action movie with little that distinguishes it from contemporaries. The ending, while action-packed, relies on an eye-rolling nostalgia set piece (the USS Missouri) that feels contrived rather than earned.