HOLLYWOOD—As much as it’s a surprise to have another alien action film set in Los Angeles, “Battle: Los Angeles” does a great job in providing solid performances even if the special effects are not very realistic. The one major problem with the film is that there is no buildup and the characters are not interesting, so it’s hard to care what happens to them. This film, like “2012” and “Skyline,” is interesting to see, but it falls flat because we don’t know any of the people before the invasion hits, which starts within the first 10 minutes and continues for over two hours.

The one thing this film has going for it, however, is the strong acting of Aaron Eckhart, Michelle Rodriguez and Bridget Moynahan. Other supporting cast members are equally good, but the writing by Christopher Bertolini was not, and at times people found laughter where the scene didn’t call for humor. Rodriguez plays a tough gal, as she often does, and is fascinating to watch if not always attractive on screen. Her tough as nails military persona in “Avatar” is back on and she’s very formidable as an actress and in character.

The film was supposed to be about a marine facing off an alien invasion in Los Angeles, but the action sequences where the city should be showcased often looked dire and drab, as if the locale was someplace in the Middle Eastern desert or Northern Africa. Though the story I thought was an interesting tale, it’s far too much non-stop action and explosions to be engaging.  I did find myself, like everyone else in the screening, rooting for the marines, but that’s in part because of Eckhart’s amazing performance. He’s absolutely sublime and spectacular even if the script is not.

Director Jonathan Liebesman needed to curtail some of the violence; it is far too much for two hours. “Skyline” was equally violent, but at least we felt like we managed to get to know the characters we were rooting for to defeat against the evil aliens. And what is the purpose of a film being shot in Los Angeles if we don’t at least see more of the beauty of the city before it’s blown to bits? The ending is good, but not surprising. Viewers who are Sci Fi action and drama fans should still save their money and go see it as a matinee.

Aaron Eckhart and Michelle Rodriguez do make the film worth seeing for their performances alone. Therefore, I give the film Two and a Half of Five Stars. The film opens on Friday, March 11, in theaters nationwide.