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Why Battle: L.A. is Black Hawk Down meets Alien
Aaron Eckhart told a group of reporters that he was scheduled to begin filming the alien invasion movie Battle: Los Angeles today; the film portrays the fight between marines and aliens in the City of Angels.
"We've got a great shooter [Lukas Ettlin], and he's going to do it like Black Hawk Down meets Alien," Eckhart said in a group interview on Tuesday in Beverly Hills, Calif., where he was promoting the romantic drama Love Happens. "So it's going to be real marine stuff. He's going to film it in a very documentary style."
To play marines, Eckhart and his co-stars spent three weeks in boot camp. Eckhart flexed his muscles to demonstrate his commitment to authenticity.
"I'm ready," Eckhart continued. "We have been in boot camp for three weeks. We've trained hard for it. I'm coming dead right off boot camp into it. The director, Jonathan Liebesman, is great. We know our stuff."
The day before principal photography began, Eckhart was confident that Battle: Los Angeles has an edge over the likes of Independence Day and War of the Worlds.
"It's going to be no ordinary aliens movie, I guarantee you that," he declared. "It's going to be outrageous. This movie's going to be so great. I go out on a limb in saying that."
As for the late Harvey Dent, one year after The Dark Knight, Eckhart said that he assumes Two-Face's fate was sealed. "Well, I suppose there's always the chance" that he could return in a contemplated sequel, Eckhart pondered. "I don't know anything. [Director] Chris [Nolan] hasn't called me, so I'm going to seek other representation until further notice."
Battle: Los Angeles is slated for release in February 2011.
By Marty B. at 12:16 PM ON 09/09/09
And with his flex down and 3 week "actor boot camp" Eckhart sets himself up for the a Sci Fi version of Tropic Thunder-style hubris.
By Melora at 1:53 PM ON 09/09/09
Wouldn't "Alien" meets "Black Hawk Down" result in...erm...."Aliens"?
By blackwolf at 4:25 PM ON 09/09/09
I agree Sure sounds like to me
By BA at 4:50 PM ON 09/09/09
Melora, well put. As for Battle: LA? Please... "I say we take off and nuke the entire site from orbit. It's the only way to be sure."
Mind you given the amount of smoke hangin' over it, it looks like somebody already did.
By Ceres2 at 4:51 PM ON 09/09/09
Remember in Hollywood, the best ideas are ones that have already been done and done and done and.....
By Cerender at 5:30 PM ON 09/09/09
They were here in Shreveport, LA looking for extras. When I heard the name I was like wow, stupid name must a code name for a a REALLY cool movie... Guess not.
Oh and "film it in a very documentary style." means more "I'm gonna be sick" bouncing camera moves.
After Cloverfield and District 9 I wish someone would smack these guys and show them a tripod.
By lfhlaw at 6:38 PM ON 09/09/09
Actually if it is Alien vs Black Hawk Down, I would think it would be more like Predator in an urban setting.
By Marty B. at 8:54 PM ON 09/09/09
Ifhlaw, you mean like Predator 2?
By Rico at 4:22 AM ON 09/10/09
As long as they keep it tight and accurate, no marines shooting M60s from the hip with belts and magazines that never run dry, and the aliens aren't overly CGI, I will be happy.
By Gee Bert at 5:46 AM ON 09/10/09
Apparently and this is only a unfounded rumour, the Republicans have asked the producers to design the Aliens to look a little Mexican.
By Nyarlathotep at 6:02 AM ON 09/10/09
No ordinary alien film ? you mean they wont be using CGI ? you mean they'll actually look alien and not be a bunch of bipeds/quadropeds/bugs/reptoids ect ?
hmm, somehow doubt it.
By 3456 at 8:15 AM ON 09/10/09
"It's going to be no ordinary aliens movie, I guarantee you that," he declared. "It's going to be outrageous."
Ughhh, ok. So, like aliens are going to
attack LA and a bunch of Marines are
going to defend it? "Real Marine" stuff?
What was I born yesterday? P-l-e-a-s-e,
this was already done in arguably the
most legendary sci-fi movie ever made:
(James Cameron's) Aliens.
By hebramleigh at 9:55 AM ON 09/10/09
Com'on, people, give it a chance! There's nothing wrong with a sci-fi movie designed to be pleasureable fluff.
Who knows, it might even be good. As much as I love Aliens, it's hardly realistic that a traumatized dock-worker would be able to out-fight experienced marines, especially with only a 10-minute course on how to load and operate their weapons. It's called suspension-of-belief.
I'm looking forward to this!
By Corvidae at 8:44 PM ON 09/10/09
I'll watch any movie once...Even if its only to help me fall asleep at night.
By Melora at 3:18 PM ON 09/11/09
Even the "he's going to film it in documentary style" smacks of the marines' videocam headsets from "Aliens".
I agree with BA...nuke the site from orbit. And wake me up when it's done. Zzzzzzzzzzzz.
By tkirk at 8:19 PM ON 09/11/09
if theres going to be a movie about marines and aliens it should be coloniel marines on the alien homeworld .directed by james cameron
By WilliePe at 7:23 AM ON 09/18/09
Although this sounds really cheesy, I'm willing to give it a shot. Only because they are using real Marines in the movie.
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WilliePe:
Although this sounds really cheesy, I'm willing to give it a shot. Only because they are using real Marines in the ...More »