Battle: Los Angeles 3-4*

3-4* Preview. This is a war film, documentary erratic cinema verité style, hand-held cameras by men tough as the US marine battalion they follow. I forgive stereotypes, because the patriotic feeling is effectively conveyed.

I couldn't keep track in the fast intro of stock cast: soon-to-be-married, freshly-graduated-married leader, his back-from-yesterday-retirement-lonely-regrets-previous-command-lost brother of, rawly bereaved, naive virgin boy, token sure-shot-Marine-tte.

Aliens land in overwhelming force - 8' "ants" like gooey District 9 "prawns"; is one behind-the-scenes accent South African? Eerie whisper smoky suspense, then bang, whoosh, boom, scream, never stops. Might be better without background music giveaway clues. Rescue civilians including cliché crying girls, vital veterinarian-ette and tears-held-back lad.
Run, dive, climb, jump, fall, roll, crawl, in full gear, mid-summer Louisiana. Not here a potted palm re-used in many films, recognized by a Vancouver actress. Actors mostly performed their own stunts. Explosions, burned crashed vehicles, rubble, all coated thick with 9/11 black ash. Troops may say "sh-t", but platoon "Retreat? H-ll no". "Hoo-rah" U.S. marines. "No man left behind", though some bypassed when blown up.

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