.webp?h=8 "Merry Fistmas!")
Battlefield Earth (2000) is the infamous Scientology propaganda film commissioned by John Travolta. It is considered one of the worst moves ever made, but I'd never seen it before yesterday.
It is now one of my favourite films. 
Literally everthing about this movie is hillariously bad. The sheer incompetence is awe-inspiring and I didn't want it to end.
Story & Writing
In Battlefield Earth, a species of 10-foot tall aliens called Psychlos (seriously) run a mining colony on Earth after conquering the planet a thousand years ago after a war lasting just nine minutes. Humans are now reduced to stone-age tribes in irradiated wastelands, or slaves of alien masters.
I can't really say much more except it makes no sense. The Psychlos believe "man-animals" are too stupid to mine for gold, but they already employ humans as a labour force in their city. 
The film is filled with the most ham-fisted exposition I've ever heard. As an audience-member, can you understand what blackmail is? Yes? Too bad! We're going to tell you anyway in 90 additional seconds of dialogue!
The Acting
John Travolta stars the scheming Psychlo security chief named Terl (seriously), trying to earn a transfer off the planet. His nemesis is the human Johnny Goodboy (seriously), played by a wooden Barry Pepper, who must lead humans to freedom.
Travolta's (and everyone else's) performance is so far over the top, he can't see all the way down. He isn't chewing the scenery, he is engorging himself upon it. Hense my favourite line in any movie anywhere:
If you ever wanted to see John Travolta in dreadlocks and a codpiece shooting the legs off a cow, this is the film for you.
Even Forest Whitacker, who's acting talent is undeniable, is wasted with nothing to do except deliver terrible dialogue.
Cinematography
A "Dutch angle" is a filming technique where the camera is tilted off the horizon to portray a scene of uneasiness or tension.
Literally the entire film is shot in this way. It looks like the DP had a stroke.
Also, there are loads of corny slo-mo shots, an over-use of wipe transitions, and most scenes are shot with an ugly, sickly purple filter.
Pacing
Battlefield Earth is all over the place. Fast-paced action set pieces are inter-cut with corny slo-mo. Thematically important scenes are not allowed to breathe, but are immediately followed by more exposition or John Travolta overacting.
Special Effects
Honestly, for 2000, the special effects aren't half bad. It all looks ugly as sin, of course. But I think this was a deliberate choice rather than technical negligence.
Summary
This film is worse than I ever thought possible and lives up to its reputation. But it's so bad, it became a joy to watch. I found myself laughing many times at the sheer absurd awfulness of this movie.
If you haven't seen Battlefield Earth, I thoroughly recommend it. I love this movie.
Jump in the discussion.
No email address required.
Is it more or less fun than The Core?
Jump in the discussion.
No email address required.
Somehow more r-slurred. The Core is a solid b movie for science fiction playing Saturday afternoon for children
Jump in the discussion.
No email address required.
The Whaaaaales.
Jump in the discussion.
No email address required.
DJ qualls with his xena tapes and hot pockets
Jump in the discussion.
No email address required.
More options
Context
More options
Context
More options
Context
they dont make enough fun science movies anymore like the 90s, everything has to be serious or
moonfall could have been great if the characters werent so gay
Jump in the discussion.
No email address required.
I just wish modern sci-fi movies would stop sucking China's peepee in every scene.
Jump in the discussion.
No email address required.
Jump in the discussion.
No email address required.
More options
Context
Is this a bit or am I really that out of touch with post-2010 movies?
Jump in the discussion.
No email address required.
Fellating China is Hollywood's highest priority after abusing children. Voracious film studios want those sweet chinashekels
but the CCP won't allow a film's release unless it strokes the enormous Chinese national ego.
Take the Godzilla franchise, for example. It's as Japanese as bukkake. But in Godzilla: King of the Monsters, they have a chinese actress and Mothra hatching in China for some reason. In the attrocious Godzilla vs Kong, the climax is set in Hong Kong.
Jump in the discussion.
No email address required.
More options
Context
China only allows a certain number of foreign movies to play each year (I think it's like 20?) so if your big r-slurred capeshit movie is accepted then you're guaranteed to get like $300 million from lowbrow Chinese.
Jump in the discussion.
No email address required.
More options
Context
More options
Context
More options
Context
I hope that the Twister sequel is at least gonna be fun.
Jump in the discussion.
No email address required.
funny I just got a bunch of old VHS from my moms dead friends estate and I rewatched both Twister and The Core. Twister does science parts good, its too long tho
Jump in the discussion.
No email address required.
More options
Context
It won't be
Jump in the discussion.
No email address required.
More options
Context
More options
Context
More options
Context
Did he really say "the core (of the Earth) is the size of Mars"?
Why couldn't you just say "the moon"? It would have been less wildly wrong. It's not some obscure astronomy fact that Mars is twice as big as Earth.
Jump in the discussion.
No email address required.
Thats not even the worst science error in this movie.
Watch it.
Jump in the discussion.
No email address required.
More options
Context
Jump in the discussion.
No email address required.
ngl made me do a double take
Jump in the discussion.
No email address required.
More options
Context
More options
Context
More options
Context
More options
Context