It's a losing 'Battle: Los Angeles'

Earth is under attack in "Battle: Los Angeles," but it's hard to tell the aliens from the humans. All are faceless, brainless half-robots whose main purpose is to get blown up. The only notable difference: The aliens don't deliver monologues.

With few ideas but very big plans, "Battle: Los Angeles" begins by introducing us to a half-dozen U.S. Marines and their boring back stories: young wives, dead brothers, self-doubts. Aaron Eckhart is terribly miscast as Staff Sgt. Michael Nantz, a grizzled vet haunted by past mistakes; his new team of laser fodder is played by mostly unknowns. R&B singer Ne-Yo pops up as a young corporal, while the appealing Michelle Rodriguez ("Avatar") once again plays one of the guys.

But director Jonathan Liebesman ("Darkness Falls") can't wait to crank up the decibels. Within minutes, chrome-bodied aliens are storming the beaches of Santa Monica like the Allies at Normandy (an oddly misguided visual) and the film becomes a two-hour onslaught of nonstop gunfire, explosions and shouting. There isn't much dialogue, but thanks to screenwriter Chris Bertolini, nearly everyone gets to hock up a tough-guy loogie like "Retreat, hell!" or "No way -- it's suicide!" or "Ya crazy bastid."

With its million-dollar effects and cheap plot, "Battle: Los Angeles" comes on like a bazooka but feels like a popgun. At times, it even produces a little flag that says "Bang." Eckhart's third-act speech about the men he lost -- he tearfully recites each name and serial number -- drew theater-wide laughter at a recent screening. At least the aliens still have their dignity.