The year is 3000 A.D. The few remaining humans on Earth hide in the hills, or are enslaved by the highly advanced conquering aliens, the Psyclos. Humanity itself faces eminent extinction.
This may sound like typical science-fiction fare. And, in fact, it is. The book on which this movie is based was written nearly 20 years ago. Since then, we've all been exposed to film after film depicting ominous aliens and mankind's struggle to free itself from their clutches. The fact that the story in this film suffers the term "cliché" is a real shame; this story inspired many of the films that have since led to such dramas being considered cliché.
Aside from all that, let’s take a look at the movie itself:
Plot
Battlefield Earth follows the story of one bright and courageous human, Jonnie (Barry Pepper), as he attempts to free mankind from its powerful alien slavers. Not believing his tribe’s mythical accounts of demons and gods battling for Earth, he leaves his simple tribe in the hills to search for answers. He is soon captured by these “demons”, the Psyclos. He quickly becomes involved in a plot by their Chief of Security, Terl (portrayed by John Travolta), and is educated in their language and history. Armed with this knowledge and information, he develops a plan to defeat the Psyclos and free humanity. Along the way, he meets fellow humans who, impressed and inspired by his conviction and obvious ability, join in his plans for revolution.
Cliché? Certainly. We’ve seen this sort of story in more movies than we can count. Of course we recognize this type of story; we see so much of it because, quite frankly, it works. Campy? Absolutely. As dark and brooding as this film is, the campiness and subtle humors and ironies keep it interesting and entertaining. These same ironies act to deliver important lessons about humanity itself. In the obvious arrogance and superiority displayed by the Psyclos in their dealings with the inferior “man-animals”, we see mirrored our own conceit, and see the possible consequences of our own blind arrogance. And while this is an important lesson, it is delivered via a campy humor that only acts to get it across more effectively.
In fact, I could find only two less-than-believable points within the plot. First, it is difficult to swallow that a band of tribesman who have never even seen a working automobile could learn to master the intricacies of flying advanced tactical fighter jets, especially in the course of one week. Second, it’s hard to believe that an intergalactic empire that uses teleportation for interstellar travel would leave their teleportation platforms so woefully unguarded; of course, this is in line with the Psyclos’ typical arrogance.
Acting
Despite the complaints contained in some other reviews of this film, I could not fault the acting in the movie. I never found myself unable to believe the pain, agony, desire, greed, outrage, or courage expressed by the various characters. Certainly, Travolta’s portrayal of Terl is over the top; but it should be. Terl, archetypical of the Psyclo race, is incredibly arrogant and self-confident, a fatal flaw that we see in each of the Psyclos we come to know throughout the movie. Pepper, as Jonnie, delivers a great performance; it is easy for the viewer to believe that men would rally around this confident, yet humble and fair, man. The supporting cast offers up yet more wonderful performances. No one particularly stands out. They shouldn’t; the movie revolves around Jonnie and Terl.
Special Effects
The special effects in this movie are pretty seamless. They are understated, a fact that makes them that much more believable. Many movies today use flashy effects which serve only to distract the viewer from the storyline, and make the action seem more spectacular than it should be. Not so with Battlefield Earth. The effects are certainly there, but in the background rather than serving as the emphasis for the movie.
Criticism
As stated earlier, there are a few points in the plot that are outside the realm of believability. But they are minor.
The movie does start a little slow. And there are periods of this 2-hour and 10-minute film that detract from the overall flow of the story. But it should be pointed out that these periods are necessary for the overall understanding of the plot. The movie is, after all, based on a novel that exceeds 1000 pages in its unabridged form.
Finally, the soundtrack to the movie could use some work. The heavier music, and many of the sound effects, are mixed so loud as to be painful. At times, this serves to add to the intensity of the film. But at others, the volume of sound is distracting while serving no purpose.
In Defense of Other Criticisms
Some reviewers have argued that the overall plot is simply unbelievable—that a small band of uncivilized and untrained humans could simply not stand against a race so strong and technologically advanced that they defeated all of Earth’s forces in under nine minutes. These reviewers are missing the point, which is this: During the initial battle, the Psyclos knew what to expect. They had only as much respect for the human resistance as they needed, enough to defeat them readily. But over time, arrogance and complacency bred within the Psyclo occupation to such an extent that the idea of an organized resistance from these savage “man-animals” was simply inconceivable, giving this rag-tag band of freedom fighters a distinct advantage. In this light, the plot becomes not only believable, but deeply though-provoking.
Second, many have claimed that Battlefield Earth, written by L. Ron Hubbard, also the founder of the Church of Scientology, might contain subliminal messages designed to convert viewers to that cult. This controversy is simply ridiculous. This movie tells a simple story, one of courage, conviction, and of the pitfalls of arrogance and complacency. There’s nothing subliminal or heretical about that.
Verdict
Battlefield Earth is just plain good science fiction. It tells a good story, is well-acted and often humorous in its overt ironies, contains subtle and well-blended special effects, and serves to both educate and entertain. It is not a perfect movie, and does have a few believability issues. And it’s too loud. But overall, it’s worth at least one viewing, up on the big screen where it can be as impressive and as entertaining as it was meant to be.
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