Battleships: alien invasion movie staring Liam Neeson, Rhianna, Alexander Skarsgård & Taylor Kitsch based on the classic game.

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I said A5 not B5 dammit!

Yes it is based on the Board Game Battleships. Yes Battleships. The Board Game. Yes.

Well we’ve been waiting for the trailer to this film for some tie now. If only so we could see the results of the crazy or inspired premise for the movie. Somehow an Alien Invasion that has much to do with water leads to a Battleships’ style ‘game’ of cat & mouse, wherein random pot shots are taken at various areas of the ocean(s). I’m guessing a three headed alien won’t pop up and say “You’ve sunk our invasion ships filthy human scum!”, but hey, you never know. Given that a very good film was made out of a theme park ride (Pirates of The Caribbean) and a very exciting one out of a bunch of toys (Transformers) and a graphic novel and movie out of a poster (Cowboys & Aliens) then making one out of this board game shouldn’t come as a surprise. Of course those all had somewhat of a story to them, even the poster. But Battleship is completely without narrative. On top of that the central conceit, that neither side is in any way able to see / detect th other's forces, seems impossible to translate to a film plot.

A board game style view of a fleet of Battleships

 They are remaking, or making a new version of, Clue; which was a funny, but unsuccessful film of the board game Cluedo (Known as Clue in some countries) but that has a story built into it and is a premise that lends itself to storytelling. This seems like a real stretch. Still here we are, again.

The film is directed by Peter Berg who made the decent Very Bad Things and The Rundown, as well as the very good for the first half, nowhere near as good for the second Hancock. It has been written by Eric & Jon Hoeber who did a fine job adapting R.E.D last year.

Alien Craft NOT a Decepticon!

Here’s the official word...

“Peter Berg (Hancock) produces and directs Battleship, an epic action-adventure that unfolds across the seas, in the skies and over land as our planet fights for survival against a superior force. Based on Hasbro's classic naval combat game, Battleship stars Taylor Kitsch as Hopper, a Naval officer assigned to the USS John Paul Jones; Brooklyn Decker as Sam, a physical therapist and Hopper's fiancée; Alexander Skarsgård as Hopper's older brother, Commanding Officer Stone of the USS Samson; Rihanna as Lt. Raikes, Hopper's crewmate and a weapons specialist on the USS John Paul Jones; and international superstar Liam Neeson as Hopper and Stone's superior (and Sam's father), Admiral Shane.

Berg directs this epic action-adventure also produced by Brian Goldner and Bennett Schneir of Hasbro (the Transformers franchise), along with Scott Stuber (Couples Retreat), Sarah Aubrey (The Kingdom) and Duncan Henderson (Master and Commander).

Summer 2012 begins with the biggest battle of all: Battleship.”

So far the thing that stands out the most is how much the Alien tech sounds like the Transformers' tech in Bay's movies. I would have liked to see more but ah well. Of course Liam Neeson classes up anything he's in. I guess we'll see more later in the year.

 Here it is...