Battle: Los Angeles

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Battle: Los Angeles

PG-13

2011

1h 56m

Sci-Fi

Action

Adventure

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Tomatometer

Popcornmeter

37%

Tomatometer

210 Reviews

48%

Popcornmeter

50,000+ Ratings

For many years, humans have reported various UFO sightings around the world, fueling speculation about the existence of life on other worlds. In 2011, mankind learns the truth the hard way when alien invaders attack. One by one, the world's great cities fall, leaving Los Angeles as the battleground for humanity's last stand. It's up to a Marine staff sergeant (Aaron Eckhart) and his platoon to draw a line in the sand against a powerful enemy unlike any previously encountered.

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Critics Consensus

Overlong and overly burdened with war movie clichés, Battle: Los Angeles will entertain only the most ardent action junkies.

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Scott Foundas

Film Comment Magazine

Jun 28, 2013

Case in point: Battle: Los Angeles, an alien-invasion disaster piece so loud, ham-fisted and joyless-so aggressively lousy-that its only real usefulness is to make one better appreciate the deft touch of a Roland Emmerich.

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Michael Wilmington

Chicago Reader

Dec 6, 2011

Terminally stupid.

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Anthony Lane

The New Yorker

Mar 21, 2011

If the talk had been surgically removed, leaving only the sights and sounds of combat, this could have been a striking, semiabstract display of aggressive energy; as it is, any viewer over twelve will go for the laughs.

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Don Shanahan

Every Movie Has a Lesson

Feb 16, 2024

3/5

Our plot and attention is not split and spread to several places or groups of people around the country and world. We stick with one group the whole way through and that's the movie's strength.

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Brian Eggert

Deep Focus Review

Jul 31, 2023

1/4

After a shotgun wedding between Black Hawk Down and Independence Day, this movie was the unwanted offspring—an unintelligible mixture of war movies and science-fiction that insults the credibility of both genres.

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Keith Garlington

Keith & the Movies

Aug 19, 2022

2.5/5

It’s aim was to be a pre-summer popcorn action movie and it hits it’s mark.

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Robert P

@Superbad Sep 19, 2026

Battle: Los Angeles = a 2.5 star Movie!

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Mark B

@MisterMoto Sep 6, 2026

‘Battle Los Angeles’, deserves way better than it got. Critics in love with delivering condescension before thoughtful criticism shot it down quickly without any reflection. I miss Roger Ebert!! The acting is solid throughout and the script delivers a well drawn slice of one fire team’s action during a very realistic alien invasion. More of a mashup of Blackhawk Down/ War of the Worlds. The alien designs are unique as are the aliens. The action is just great and the pacing is spot on. Are there military action cliche’s? Sure. But do I care that much if they’re being put to good use in a ripping yarn?? Hell no. Set aside the hit piece articles and opinions. Are there better? Sure! Are there worse? Tons!! But this is WAY better than ‘critics’ would lead you to believe. Take the ride and enjoy.

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doug B

@RT51901769 Jul 25, 2026

Very fine film! I was surprised!

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M T

@TheMichaelandTrevorShow Jul 18, 2026

This pleasantly surprised me, especially since this was my first watch of it! It takes 2 of my favorite film genres, war and alien movies, and cranks it up to 100! For me, just about everything worked. I thought the camera work, sound, and VFX all hit the nail ON THE HEAD, while some of the acting and script was just a little off in parts. Granted we know this isn’t the next Saving Private Ryan but come on, this was such a fun watch. To me, this is the most realistic and plausible take on an actual alien invasion happening. Not to mention how great the alien design was! This is a must see movie, even after all these years it’s been out.

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Andrew H

@RT93365533 Jul 2, 2026

One of the most underrated Sci-Fi flicks…period.

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R B.

@RT14120361 May 31, 2026

Hate on this all you want but it’s an interesting mix of military and sci fi with strong characters. Take it for what it is. A movie about the tenacity and can do attitude our marines and soldiers exhibit in the face of overwhelming odds. Don’t overthink it. Just enjoy the ride.

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Jonathan Liebesman

Director

Aaron Eckhart

Ssgt. Michael Nantz

Michelle Rodriguez

Tsgt. Elena Santos

Ramón Rodríguez

2nd Lt. William Martinez

Bridget Moynahan

Michele

Ne-Yo

Cpl. Kevin Harris

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Synopsis

For many years, humans have reported various UFO sightings around the world, fueling speculation about the existence of life on other worlds. In 2011, mankind learns the truth the hard way when alien invaders attack. One by one, the world's great cities fall, leaving Los Angeles as the battleground for humanity's last stand. It's up to a Marine staff sergeant (Aaron Eckhart) and his platoon to draw a line in the sand against a powerful enemy unlike any previously encountered.

Director: Jonathan Liebesman
Producer: Neal H. Moritz, Ori Marmur
Screenwriter: Christopher Bertolini
Distributor: Sony Pictures Entertainment
Production Co: Original Film, Relativity Media, Columbia Pictures
Rating: PG-13 (Sustained/Intense Seq. of War|Language|Violence and Destruction)
Genre: Sci-Fi, Action, Adventure
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Mar 11, 2011, Wide
Release Date (Streaming): Feb 5, 2013
Box Office (Gross USA): $83.6M
Runtime: 1h 56m
Sound Mix: SDDS, Dolby Digital, DTS

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