Battle for Terra

Remember the time when animation used to be for kids? The good ol' days, eh? This animated movie makes pretty good use of the medium to tell a rather complex story. The movie has most qualities of good storytelling - ethical dilemmas, unique settings and gray areas aplenty. The premise of the movie is simple: Threatened with extinction, the human race needs to make one last desperate attempt at survival by the conquest of a seemingly peaceful alien world teeming with sentient life.

The movie explores possibilities that are the antithesis of staple sci-fi genre. For instance, What if the (typical) victim is the aggressor? (Humans attack a seemingly peaceful alien planet). Is peaceful bliss really a practical possibility? (without advanced weaponry, the alien world is threatened with extinction). Another highlight of the movie was that the aliens were, you know, just alien. They weren't cute and cuddly (a la E.T.) or menacing hordes (a la every-sci-fi war movie you've seen). The aliens are just rational beings who will fight, feel and cry when the need arises.

Now, the movie isn't without its flaws. It's not completely balanced (aggressors - no matter what the reason for aggression - are still painted in a slightly negative tone), characterization, even the quality of animation (in this post-Pixar universe) might be called into question - but I'm willing to overlook all of that for one simple reason: the director has a clear vision and explores it vividly on screen. That's worth a couple of hours of your life. Definitely is.

With a low budget for a 3D animation I really wasn't expecting anything good from this movie but was a lot better than I thought it would be. The plot is sort of a mix between "Planet 51" and "Avatar", lets just say it's much better than "Planet 51". I was sort of shocked this movie came out before "Avatar" so I guess maybe that movie took some ideas from this one. This is a well made animation film that kids and adults can enjoy with is decent script and good direction, there was hardly a dull moment. The plot takes place in a planet full of nature and floating worm like species and they are intelligent lifeforms. But there peaceful ways are interrupted when machines from the sky is seen and the floating worm like species thinks it's a god. But they don't come in peace, in fact they are coming for other reasons. Soon one of the female floating worm like being meets one of the invader and the story goes on from there. The floating worm like species have simple technology compared to the invaders who has more advance technology. Sort of reminded me of our history while watching this film. And although there has been many invasion movies in the past the direction of this film was actually quite unique, not super original though. I also liked how in this story it's difficult to pick a side just like one of the protagonist in this film. For a low budget 3D animation film, the animation was alright and the facial expressions are very well done. The battle sequences in this is also exciting at times. When it was done and finished, I actually enjoyed this movie way more than I thought I would. Also Giddy is a pretty good sidekick.

7.5/10

i saw this film at a Friday screening at the toronto festival and it was i think sold out. i loved it and it looked like most everyone else did too. the film is animated but more serious like a normal live action film. the director asked the audience at the q&a if its time animated films can also be serious and everyone clapped. this film plays like a real film and not just another dreamworks cartoon. the alien world is soo beautiful and the story flows so well. the ending is amazing and a little shocking but in a good way. the film has something very beautiful and important to say. the action is fantastic. i cried at the very end but wont spoil it for you. i recommend seeing it when it comes out.

I'm in the special effects field and jumped at the chance to see this film at the festival. I love SF but have to say I was a little wary going in because I've been burned in the past by high and low budget SF films. Big budget SF is usually so dumbed down it betrays the genre while low budget SF usually consists of cheesy low-rent imitations of great films. But I still get excited hoping that the next one will 'be the one'. I find great SF in books, but great SF films are a rare breed. I was happy to discover that this film is different in a good way. It's a good SF film and a great animated movie. I was surprised to see a film this thought-provoking get made. The animation style is really eye-popping. There were times when I wasn't sure whether I was watching real footage or CG. The performances were generally great, but there was some stiff acting now and then, especially with the humans. The aliens however moved beautifully. The story begins as a fantasy but soon transforms into a mature look at environmentalism and war. It's an odd transition, but overall a nice surprise. In terms of SF, it's a mixed bag of genuinely inspired ideas in the form of a completely original alien world, and some familiar ideas from the humans. The film's tone and style make it special. There are more than a few scenes that are emotionally engaging. I was fearing Sci-Fi channel movie-of-the-week but got Spielberg instead. I'm not sure what the film cost but it seams to have had a decent enough budget behind it. The film is not perfect, but it gets enough right to make me a fan.

"Wherefore you do so ill translate yourself Out of the speech of peace, that bears such grace, Into the harsh and boist'rous tongue of war; Turning your books to graves, your ink to blood, Your pens to lances, and your tongue divine To a loud trumpet and a point of war?" Shakespeare's Henry IV, II

Battle for Terra is an animated Star Wars for the 21st century—a successful mix of adventure and heart with a slight overload of moralizing. The peaceful planet Terra is terrorized by the remaining people of Earth, who have traveled over time and space to find a substitute for the planet they destroyed.

The Terrareans are sperm like people with Kean-like eyes suitable for tears. These gentle and intelligent "aliens" are not unsuited to defending themselves, helped by their rebellious, Princess Leia-like Mala (voice of Evan Rachel Wood), who tends to a wounded earthling, the Han Solo-like Lt. James Stanton (Luke Wilson), both of whom must deal with Earth's General Hemmer (Brian Cox), a Dick Cheney-like commander whose answer to survival is armed aggression that begins by wresting power from his president, a black man with soulful mien reminiscent of Barack Obama.

That last description leads into my appreciation of the allegorical implications such as the US invasion of Iraq, torture as tactic, and resistance to alternatives. The need for nations to cooperate or face annihilation is repeated but well taken given the eternal opposition of the Soviet Union and the emergence of Iran and North Korea in the nuclear arms race.

While Battle for Terra lacks humor and preaches a bit too much, it still can be enjoyed by the whole family; its absolute lack of sexual situations (even Princess Leia induced some lustful thoughts) is refreshing and appropriate given the stark difference in the worlds. For the brainier family members, the explanation about the challenges of making oxygen is another rewarding element.

All these moral and aesthetic points are amply relayed throughout, making it a didactic work of art first and entertainment second. I would prefer it the other way around.