The Box Office
Jennard Cahatol Arts and Leisure Desk Writer
Battlefield Earth
Directed by Roger Christian. Starring John Travolta, Barry Pepper, and Forest Whitaker. Sci-fi/action genre, rated PG-13, 117 minutes.
In the distant future of 3000, humans are an endangered species. Some time ago, the inhabitants of Earth lost a nine minute long war to the invading aliens from the planet Psychlo. The Chief of Security for the Psychlos is Terl (Travolta), who has been desperately trying to get reassigned anywhere but Earth. When his hopes go up in smoke, he plans to use the humans in a scheme to get himself rich and off this undesirable planet by teaching them their language and how to mine. What Terl does not account for is one of his man-animals, Johnny (Pepper), learning of Terl's plot and taking his technology to plan a revolt. With little support, resources, or time, the people of Earth have one slim chance to reclaim their planet and send a message to the Psychlos, as well as the rest of the universe.
You would think by now that those stupid aliens would have learned their lesson not to mess with Earthlings. Looking at recent sci-fi movies where the people of Earth learn to ban together and choose someone else to fight, you would think we'd have a reputation of being the dangerous part of the galaxy, the ghetto of the universe. Sorry to go off on that tangent, but there is really nothing to say about this movie. Basically, it is Independence Day gone bad. Travolta does a good job as the villain, but not because he portrays the character well; rather we hate him because his acting is lame and over-dramatic. Don't get me wrong, Travolta has done good work (Grease, Pulp Fiction) but this performance is reminescent of his days of Look Who's Talking. I could see how it was trying to be inspiring, but it is very difficult to be inspired when the leader of the rebellion is a guy named "Johnny." It doesn't sound appropriate. Also, when you put money down to watch a science fiction movie, you expect good special effects, but the effects here will remind you that you are watching a movie; you won't be in awe.
I don't think anyone can find this film enjoyable, unless you're a devoted follower of L. Ron Hubbard (who wrote the novel the movie is based on). If you get tricked into watching it like I was, try to make the best of it and laugh at it as you go along. And now that we've talked about Battlefield Earth, let's never speak of it again.
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