Aliens are invading earth again; the way we humans are treating it by 2025 this might be something we should be actively encouraging. Battlefield 2025 instantly recalls two, vastly different films – Battlefield: LA (hot garbage) and Tremors (be still, my beating childhood).
The film kicks off with a bar scene, a guy trying to chat up a lady and it works very well. It comes across as very spontaneous, natural and charming. Sadly, our nerdy Lothario strikes out when he mentions he is a scientist. I feel sorry for him, which is a sign the film has hooked me in.
The opening act sets our wacky races cast of scientists, criminals and douchebag with a beard into our small, dusty town America for a showdown with the alien. Sadly, without some serious reworking, even the wall that Trump claimed the Mexicans would pay for would not keep this uninvited visitor out.
It is actually quite a long time until we get any aliens. We spend a long time setting up our characters. And, much like From Dusk ‘till Dawn the film spends its first half as one kind of a film and the second half as something else entirely (something extremely cheesy). The extra time to set up the characters makes a big difference. The script is good, usually, I would say there are too many characters in our ensemble story, too many plot threads but Battlefield 2025 pulls it off. I am enjoying the story, enjoying the characters going about their varied lives before the alien turns up.
Director Joseph Mbah (Expo) does a decent job behind the camera. He has an eye for a decent shot, and he gets decent performances out of the large cast. He also co-wrote Battlefield 2025 with frequent collaborator Robert Conway (Eminence Hill, Krampus: The Reckoning).
Mistakes are made. There is no value in showing the alien craft slamming into the hillside. The filmmakers do not have the budget to pull that kind of shot off. It does not look as bad as some low budget action films but the whole thing should have been sidestepped. Battlefield 2025 is, at times dripping with cheese but this is no bad thing. Camp silliness fits the genre well. And the quality of the film making gives the filmmakers the right to cut some corners and have some fun with it. When the alien does arrive it doesn’t look half as silly as it might have. But I would have avoided the sci-fi effects, it looks like they were done on the cheap (there is camp value in this).
The second half of the time is mostly our characters running around a hillside in the dark. It is one way of covering up for the film’s limitations, but the darkness does not improve the experience. We get to see the faux Predators Christmas tree lights helmet effects in all their magnificent glory though.
At an hour and fifteen minutes long, Battlefield 2025 does not overstay its welcome. Without a doubt, this is the best film I have seen from Uncork’d Entertainment. Though the bar was extremely low, this is fun. If you are having a few beers with some friends on a Saturday night, you could do much worse than this. Recommended