The green issues -- not to mention an Iraq bombing reference -- are laboured and presented through huge amounts of exposition.
Battle for Terra (2009)
Tomatometer
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Reviews Counted:77
Fresh:36
Rotten:41
Average Rating:5.6/10
Consensus: Despite its earnest aspirations to be a thought-provoking sci-fi alternative, Battle for Terra lacks both a cohesive story and polished visuals, and fails to resonate.
Rated: PG [See Full Rating] for sequences of sci-fi action violence and some thematic elements.
Runtime: 85 mins
Genre: Childrens
Theatrical Release:May 1, 2009 Wide
Box Office: $1,601,182
Synopsis:
When the peaceful inhabitants of the beautiful planet Terra come under attack from the last surviving members of humanity adrift in an aging spaceship, the stage is set for an all-out war between...
When the peaceful inhabitants of the beautiful planet Terra come under attack from the last surviving members of humanity adrift in an aging spaceship, the stage is set for an all-out war between the two races for control of the planet. But will an unlikely friendship between a rebellious young Terrian (voiced by Evan Rachel Wood) and an injured human pilot (Luke Wilson) somehow convince their leaders that war is not the answer?
A CG-animated science fiction action adventure, Battle for Terra is directed by Aristomenis Tsirbas (The Freak, Terra) from a screenplay by Evan Spiliotopoulos (The Jungle Book 2) and Tsirbas. The film is voiced by an all-star cast including Evan Rachel Wood (The Wrestler, Down in the Valley), Luke Wilson (3:10 to Yuma, Blades of Glory), Brian Cox (Zodiac, The Bourne Supremacy), David Cross (Kung Fu Panda, Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind), Justin Long (He’s Just Not That Into You, Zack and Miri Make a Porno), Amanda Peet (Syriana, A Lot Like Love), Dennis Quaid (Vantage Point, Far From Heaven), Chris Evans (Push, Sunshine), James Garner (The Notebook, Space Cowboys), Danny Glover (Shooter, The Royal Tenenbaums), Ron Perlman (Hellboy, Alien: Resurrection) and Danny Trejo (Halloween, Grindhouse). The film is produced by Keith Calder (The Wackness, All the Boys Love Mandy Lane), Ryan Colucci, Dane Allan Smith (TankUp.US, Terra) and Jessica Wu, with original music by Abel Korzeniowski (Metropolis). The film’s editors are J. Kathleen Gibson and Jim May.
Living in perfect harmony in gravity-defying cities above the clouds, the inhabitants of the planet Terra are complete strangers to war. So when Terra is invaded by human beings fleeing a civil war and environmental catastrophe, many of the Terrians at first welcome the invaders as gods. Only the feisty young Mala (Evan Rachel Wood) fights back, luring one of the invading spacecrafts to destruction after her father is abducted, then rescuing its pilot—a human named Jim (Luke Wilson).
In return for saving his life, Jim promises to help Mala find her father, taking her on a perilous journey to the Ark—the humans’ aging mother ship. Along the way, Mala and Jim learn that their people really aren’t so different from one another. But with the Earthforce army poised to invade Terra and render it uninhabitable for Terrians, Mala and Jim must find a way to help the two races coexist—before it’s too late.
Rated PG for sequences of science-fiction action violence and some thematic elements. --© Roadside Attractions
Starring: Evan Rachel Wood, Justin Long, Luke Wilson, Brian Cox
Starring: Evan Rachel Wood, Justin Long, Luke Wilson, Brian Cox, Dennis Quaid, Amanda Peet, David Cross, Chris Evans, Danny Glover, James Garner, Rosanna Arquette, Ron Perlman, Danny Trejo, Mark Hamill
Director: Aristomenis Tsirbas
Director: Aristomenis Tsirbas
Screenwriter: Evan Spiliotopoulos
Story: Aristomenis Tsirbas
Producer: Keith Calder, Jessica Wu, Dane Allan Smith, Ryan Colucci
Composer: Abel Korzeniowski
Studio: Lions Gate Films
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Reviews for Battle for Terra
As it stands, Battle for Terra is a cinematic seesaw - up one moment, dragged down by derivative facets the next.
That the film has a fair amount on its mind and expresses its concerns in an effectively restrained manner is just gravy on top of a true visual feast.
When the title has the first two syllables of the word 'terrible' in it, there are opportunities to take pot shots. Battle For Terra is a flawed film, but it is not a failure.
an intriguing and frequently exciting experiment in using 3-D computer-generated animation for serious-minded entertainment
Despite its noble anti-war, enviornmental message, it's cliched and formulaic. Unless the kids are clamoring, wait for the dvd.
A forgettable animated movie that will do better on DVD than in the competitive movie arena
It's everything you wanted: A great science-fiction yarn, fascinating aliens, terrific battle scenes and moral dilemmas. I'm talking, of course, about 'Battle for Terra,' and not the upcoming 'Star Trek' flick.
It did not work as [well] as many of the recent animated movies that we’ve had in the earlier part of this year or last year.
Maybe aliens have an age group that will enjoy this, but humans don't.
The spaceships - and the film's ideological bent - jump out at you during the new 3-D film Battle for Terra
Though young kids are as wowed as their parents by three-dimensional effects, neither age group has an attention span long enough to sit through this yawner.
Although well-meaning, Battle for Terra is too tame to capture the active imagination of adventurous tots as a mediocre-driven meteorite looking to impact young minds with its slow-footed pacing and puffy-minded pathos.
Science-fiction geeks will be in paradise watching this animated adventure where...
takes the traditional CG film and elevates it to a higher level dealing with ugly issues of our own world using realistic logic in fantastic situations
Like in many sci-fi movies, the script vastly underestimates the size of actual planets -- couldn't the humans settle on a different continent or something?
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