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Battleship (2012) - starring Taylor Kitsch and Alexander Skarsgard (2 Viewers)

spshultz

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My BIL wants to go see this tonight so it would appear I "will" be seeing it in the theater. I'm really hoping it's not as bad as a lot of the critics are saying it is. I'm hoping it will be much better than Skyline and about the same as Transformers: Dark of the Moon.
 

TonyD

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BIL?
I remember when it was simply girlfriend, boyfriend, partner, fiancé, buddy
 

Robert Crawford

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Originally Posted by TonyD /t/313436/battleship-2012-starring-taylor-kitsch-and-alexander-skarsgard/30#post_3927420
BIL?
I remember when it was simply girlfriend, boyfriend, partner, fiancé, buddy
Could mean brother-in-law.
 

TonyD

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Ok, then I guess I just don't get the need to invent acronyms, oh well.
 

spshultz

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Wow. Umm ok then. Yes I Lazily shortened Brother-in-Law.
Just got back from seeing it and it very much reminded me of Armageddon with a little Transformers mixed in. The dialogue was kind of cheesy at times and I really didn't feel anything for the characters. But I actually did enjoy it. It certainly wasn't better than the Avengers but was definitely a better movie than Skyline. I don't see this one making to much money based on the fact that our theater was practically empty.
 

Brian W. Ralston

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Similar to the Robot Chicken thing above...but more in line with what Hollywood would probably do with it...I give you a potential look at what is next in scraping the board game barrel for movie ideas.
LOL!
8d9a8236_Hungry-Hungry-Hippos-Movie-Poster-1335368553.jpeg
 

Patrick Sun

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Believe it or not, I was rather entertained by "Battleship". They did a good job building up Taylor Kitsche's character (somewhat street smart slacker who gets a second wind in the Navy, only to have his stubbornness threatening to sink his own Navy career until the aliens show up and he has to lead and show his grit). This is very much like a Michael Bay summer blockbuster, but with heart and an outlook that everyone can make a difference, regardless of perceived limitations.
All I can say, even with the trappings of the Battleship game (the aliens' artillery looking like Battleship pegs), and later the game grid comes into play rather nearly, it was a fun movie to root for the humans in spite of overwhelming odds and firepower.
I give it 3 stars, or a grade of B.
 

Malcolm R

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Much like Patrick, I really enjoyed myself much more than I would have expected. I scoffed when I first heard about this film, but it was actually a fun time. Definitely firmly within the genre of "summer popcorn movie," with some influence from fellow Hasbro property, Transformers. It was rather interesting how they actually built the grid from the board game into the plot. My Dad is a Navy man, so I took him and he enjoyed it too. We both choked up a little when:
the old Navy veterans showed up and helped take "Mighty Mo" back out to sea for one final battle (though we both found it a little too convenient how easily everything started right up and that there was so much live ordnance still in storage aboard this "museum," but it was still a fun moment).
I'd also grade it a B/B+ as fun entertainment.
There were trailers before our film for GI Joe 2 and Expendables 2. It was scary how they almost seemed to be trailers for the same movie. Both big, loud, exploding action/comedy films with Bruce Willis.
 

Adam Gregorich

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Malcolm R said:
. It was scary how they almost seemed to be trailers for the same movie. Both big, loud, exploding action/comedy films with Bruce Willis.
There is something to be said for a popcorn movie. I'm going to try to hit a matinee this week. I am really looking forward to the Expendables 2. With the Avengers kicking off the season its a good summer for popcorn!
 

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I expected to hate this movie. Actually, that's not quite true. I went into it thinking it would be so bad, I might enjoy its badness, but I was surprised by how well it worked as a big, dumb summer action movie. If you are willing to check your brain and have fun, it is a fairly entertaining way to spend a couple of hours. I didn't think it was a great movie or anything, but the friends and crowd I saw it with really seemed to enjoy it and I had a good time.
 

Robert Crawford

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I had a good time viewing this film too. A good escape film from the realities of life for a two hour period. Very similar to Transformers, but I liked this film much more than the last Transformers film.






Crawdaddy
 

Johnny Angell

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I did like this film, even though you have to abandon all expectation of a logical film. I found myself getting emotionally involved and rooting for the characters. I can be a little dense, so the scene with the grid...it took me about a minute into before I thought "OMG, they're doing the board game!" The skid turn with a destroyer made me laugh out loud, but not derisively. I guess I wanted to believe by then.
I did leave with some questions which I'll spoilerize to prevent too many plot reveals.
Huge plot hole: We send out a signal to a Goldilocks planet and get a reply within...well the movie didn't make it clear how long it took, but it wasn't long. I don't think they specified, but that planet must be hundreds of thousands of light years away. The movie didn't postulate that they had a way of sending signals faster, at least I didn't catch it.
What is it with the aliens? If you don't bother them they don't bother you? They've flown millions of light years to kick our butts, but if you don't bother them, they'll let you be? Without this plot contrivance, the three ships in the bubble would be sunk in minutes. Without this little alien character flaw, they have no movie, but it makes no sense. Did I miss something?
What is with the aliens leaving people alive and just attacking their weapon or vehicle they're riding in? Again, without this, they've got no movie.
The ending coda, seemed rushed and tacked on. It had a feeling of the producers thinking "OK, let's wrap this up quick, make the audience feel good, and send them out the door. They really could have done that better.
I noticed, in particular, that Liam Neeson did not have a military haircut. His hair was crawling outside his collar, and he's an Admiral?
I will still close with, I liked this movie. Looking forward to the blu-ray.
 

joshEH

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From Vulture.com:
"Read Every Line of Dialogue Rihanna Says in Battleship."
I don't get Peter Berg. Or more specifically, I am struggling to define him, given that the first I'd ever heard about him, he was described as "Michael Mann's protegé."
Now, I'll freely admit I'm a total bitch for the "Mann-ster," so my perspective on Berg was skewed mightily by the prospect that Mann himself was schooling someone who would be his successor.
Today, though, I'm really struggling to identify anything in Berg's work thus far that (A) would make a director with Mann's sensibilities and talent look to him as someone to whom wisdom should be passed and patronage extended, or (B) that shows in any meaningful way that one iota of Mann's technique, characterization, sense of drama, or thematic heft has actually rubbed off on Berg (Friday Night Lights notwithstanding, perhaps).
I think the only thing Berg has in common with Mann is they're both actor's directors -- Berg being an actor himself, this doesn't surprise me. I'm sure they share a love of acting, and bond over it.
But Berg is still a meathead, and likes stupid shit...Spielberg and Brian DePalma are best friends (DePalma is Max Spielberg's godfather), and often swap movie-tips, but they couldn't be more different as men and directors. Same with Lucas and Scorsese.
 

Paul D G

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Originally Posted by Robert Crawford /t/313436/battleship-2012-starring-taylor-kitsch-and-alexander-skarsgard/60#post_3927730
A good escape film from the realities of life for a two hour period.

Ain't that the truth. My 10 yr old was in a major funk which I won't get into so I offered to take him after school rather than trying to find time over the weekend. He came out high as a kite and when he got home Halo action figures had declared war on Lego minifigs up in his room. So, troubles forgotten for a little while.

I'll be honest, the first half hour was horrible. If I were watching at home I might have given up on it. But in the end it was a fun ride. I thought of it as a cross between ID4 and Transformers - taking the fun parts of both and dumping the schlock and LeBeouf.

Did anyone stick around for the post credits scene? I wanted to stay in case there was one but the boy had to pee, and I see there was one.

And, Johnny, in response to your spoiler - the opening text implied it was 2006.
 

Robert Crawford

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Yes, there was a post credits scene as I was the only one in my audience that stayed to the very end. Let's just say that not all of those creatures were accounted for, at least not in Scotland.
 

Brian Dobbs

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Yeah, I didn't know quite what to make of the post credits scene. I'm glad they had one though. But seriously, am I to understand that there was just one alien left? Does anyone else feel threatened by this?
 

dmiller68

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I wish we had stayed to the end but I need to get my son home and to bed. I thought the movie was a blast, I agree with the transformers / ID4 comment. Great popcorn movie that the commercials didn't give enough credit.
 

Michael Elliott

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I'm a little shocked to see how poorly reviewed this film is (outside this board). I guess I must have missed where this was a bad movie but I too had a blast with it. I'm not sure why it's failing at the box office either as it really does deliver everything those "other" summer blockbusters did but this one here, unlike TRANSFORMERS, was actually good. I'm not sure if it's an age thing but at 32 I was the youngest of around 30 people in the screening today. I'd say the majority of that were over 60 and perhaps a "battleship" just meant more to them. I've heard the film isn't doing well with young people so....
 

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