Battle Planet (2008) User Reviews

Not "that" bad ...

[Vic_max · 4/10 · 4 November 2008]

The rating for this movie is not very good, but I didn't find it "extremely" bad. There are so many worse sci-fi movies. This movie actually held my attention well enough that I kept watching to the end. Although it was not very good, it was "different".

The visuals were the strong point. Nice ships, good props, great planetary scenery and bizarre-looking aliens. I've probably seen all of these things before in different movies. However, when you combine all of them with a guy stuck on a planet ... and stuck in an artificially intelligent suit ... and chasing an alien terrorist ... it's "sort of" interesting.

If you're sick of watching rubber-stamped insect/rat/snake movies on the sci-fi channel, this is a change for the better. If you're looking for high grade sci-fi, this won't exactly do it for you.

less would most definitely have been more

[jaimie-barker · 3/10 · 20 November 2008]

The previous commentator praised the visual effects, the quality of the props and the aliens. however they were wrong wrong wrong. They are incredibly twee and frankly uninspiring. The main character spends the whole film in a "advanced battle suit" which apart from providing no discernible benefit when he is actually in battle, looks ridiculous and so cumbersome that the actor seems to have trouble standing up in it.

Im an ardent B movie fan and could have probably over looked this(and the frankly bafflingly awful acting from all involved save for the drink sozzled midget), but the story line was just stupid and never really full explained. The ending has an enjoyable twist which i wont mention in case any of you give this piece of crap a try, but it doesn't make up for all its other irritating weak points.

All in all they must have had a minuscule budget for this, but i spent the whole film thinking how if this had been simplified both visually and storyline wise, then it could have actually been all right. Instead its made me irritated enough to sit here writing this after having been duped into watching it by the comment i read here previously. So don't do it, leave it where it belongs, in a petrol station bargain bin, on VHS.

Decent Movie-Wrong Title

[lampri65 · 3/10 · 2 December 2012]

First of all,i'd like to start with the actors.The lead actors were not that bad,I'd characterize them decent especially Zack Ward who I think is a bit underrated.On the other hand The supporting cast were really awful and with the poor dialogues they seem ridiculous.With such a low budget the effects of the film were at least tolerable and I really like the suit and the strange aliens even if the place was too 'earthly' for an isolated planet on the space.On the contrary I can't miss to comment on the title of the movie which is really unfitted as there are no battles on the movie...To conclude I find this movie OK if you just want to pass your time,although don't have any expectations of watching a film full of action,impressive effects and great acting.

You've Got To Be Kidding Me

[tstrickland-4 · 2/10 · 27 December 2008]

Seriously, who writes this stuff? Even worse, is the actors pool so shallow that they can't find a reasonably workable cast? The space sequences were passable; certainly no worse than what I could put together on a Mac. The dialogue was painful; obviously written by a freshman during his Movie Theory 101 class. But the portion that caused the most pain was the acting. They scraped together a couple of B/C list actors for the main characters, the female lead wearing enough heavy makeup and costume that you couldn't tell who she was. Neither of them were horrible, and they did the best they could with the laughable story and dialogue. The main character was forced to perform nearly the entire movie inside of a fishbowl. You'll see what I mean. Oh, but the supporting cast...it actually made me wince to listen to them. I've seen and heard local theater actors with better delivery. Bottom line: If there is NOTHING else on it will pass the time, assuming you have a crossword or magazine handy to fill in the blank spots, which will be most of the time. You've been warned. Good luck.

An aimless, poorly written, nonsensical science fiction "fan film".

[loren-86 · 1/10 · 27 December 2008]

This is a steaming pile of crap. I would find it incredible that the "director" was given the money to make a infomercial, much less a feature.

Like all fans of science fiction I have been suckered into watching some awful film and television--especially on the "SciFi" Chanel!--but this is a new low.

The fact that a hack with gullible dentist friends is able to get funding doesn't mean that he should make a movie--step aside and let someone with talent and a true love of the genre have a chance, produce if you must.

We must stop supporting this sort insulting product. Maybe there should be an organized campaign against the SciFi Chanel, I don't know, but I for one am vowing right now to never watch another one of these straight to SciFi productions again.

And finally: there wasn't even a single "battle" on the planet! Aaaargh! I think I just popped a vein in my head.

5 out of 10

[jimbobstewart · 5/10 · 21 November 2009]

After reading the reviews i think this film 'falls in between two stools' as the saying goes. (And i'm not talking about crap) From watching it i can say that the storyline keeps you engaged albeit only because your wondering what exactly is going on. The journey to the twist/plot can't ignore some very bad clichéd dialogue nor very very poor acting outside of the two main characters. A lot of the components of the film seem like somebody just had a list of clichéd characters and drama plots and threw them together (An unscrupulous/devious superior officer, an unsentimental ruthless chain of command, a lead character lost and searching for something(both physically and spiritually), a female for the lead to play of with a hard exterior but a soft centre, a computerised sidekick, restless natives to throw a spanner in the works, a character for comedic effect, all thrown in with some attitude, romance, angst, and betrayal) For these reasons you would never call this film original. However it is not without merit. Technically I think the sets and special effects were good. (They were not spectacular but i think we are spoiled by todays 'hollywood' standards)Also the alien costumes were of a good standard. The two lead actors did good job and the storyline does keep you interested. In summary it is worthy of watching on TV/buying if going cheap on DVD.

beware!

[toudi · 2/10 · 4 March 2009]

the only justification for screening this movie should be to show actor wannabees how not to act!! seriously people if you wanna make a showbiz career than at least take a night course! On the other hand even the great actors when given ridiculous dialogues seem terrible and this movie has both awful screenplay and direction. The third thing at which they excel here is makeup which reminds me of TMNT but bear in mind the turtles makeup was done 20 years ago and it's still better than this one! My advice for the creators in future make your sci-fi flick a comedy not drama! then at least it might pass as a spoof! Finally i'd love to know the people who wrote reviews here using words like excellent and gem towards this movie and awarding it with 10* even if my girlfriend played in this one i'd never give it more than 5/10! it would be indecent!

Biggum Crappum Stinkum

[BobMalugaLuga · 1/10 · 2 January 2009]

Not that Bad!?!? Kudos!!???!!!! You've got to be kidding. A melting candle would be more interesting to watch. I mean, I'm enough of a junkie that I will will tolerate just about any sci-fi, but there's some things even a rat won't do! To quote from Hollywood Shuffle: "The acting, the directing, the storyline ... that mother was bad!"

And what's up with the "Brea Grant is recognizable as the alien" comment. She didn't play an alien, dude. She had all of one scene at the beginning of the film and she looked almost exactly the same as she does on Heroes, complete with the Woody Woodpecker hairdo. Nice payday if you can get it. And gee, I sure hope that's not considered a spoiler because I would just HATE to spoil this for anyone.

You want to see better sci-fi? Here's a suggestion. Save your next two cocktail umbrellas, glue them to the back of a couple of cockroaches, film it, and call it a dinosaur movie. It will be a far better entertainment than this stinker. Oh, and title it "Time Wars" because that will have about as much to do with it as "Battle Planet" had to do with this sorry excuse for a movie.

Where is the idea behind this movie?

[mitko_best · 5/10 · 1 March 2009]

First, let me start with the acting. The leads were okay, they did a decent job with the script they were given, far from great but decent. The costumes were pretty cheap but okay, nothing grand but fine for a B/C grade movie. Make-up and everything was also average. But the whole idea of the future was crappy! Seriously, one would think they would have much more technology in the future than a shotgun which fires something like laser bullets. The whole script is patchy, nothing is explained. Some random things happen with no idea behind. The whole plot is just one futuristic mumbo-jumbo. This movie just lacks juice, and I think that it was the script-writers that ruined it. The whole movie could have turned to be something so much more if the script was just a bit better. If you are sci-fi fan then watch and see for yourself, if you are just looking for something to pass your time then avoid it. I put 5 as a score because it could be a lot worse and after all they had limited budget so we can't expect grand battles with lots of special effects, but the movie as a whole just feels incomplete. Maybe they should put some exclaimers or anything to at least help the viewers imagine the idea behind, but right now it's just a crap with okay lead actors and actresses, poor performing support cast, and very bad script!

As bas as it goes...

[EchoMaRinE · 1/10 · 27 June 2009]

Having a low budget, it seems they tried something. But all they managed to make is a disastrous movie with bad acting, bad plot, bad effects, bad directing, bad everything in all aspects. I still can not believe they made such a crap. If there was a worst movie contest, this movie would definitely win a golden nonsense. I would not dare to write anything about this movie but I thought spending some of my time may save time of others. Even if you are the biggest science fiction fan, I don't think you can enjoy this movie. One guy who thinks he is funny is talking nonsense, fighting with ugly creatures, wearing the most annoying suit ever made, realizing he is part of a stupid experiment and falling in love with some alien... I have seen so many bad movies but even the worst one had something kind of OK. This movie is just bad, plain bad. Just avoid it...

Excellent given its limits

[fallguy_jack · 10/10 · 22 February 2009]

Sure this movie clearly had a tiny budget.

Sure aside from the two main characters the actors were barely that, although the midget was pretty funny.

Zack Ward is definitely very underrated. I've seen him in several things and can only assume that he must have gotten on the wrong side of the wrong people in the industry to be so limited in the productions he is involved in.

All in all it is a good story, and for the limits with which it was produced I think they did a great job. Obviously this movie is no 10 out of 10 compared to big budget blockbusters, but taken in context, it was actually very enjoyable.

An Enjoyable Low Budget Late Night Sci-Fi treat

[Rabh17 · 7/10 · 11 June 2010]

Yes-- the budget is low. This isn't Star Wars. This isn't Galactica. And other reviewers have pointed out its other flaws. . .

And yes-- the acting is wooden.

But folks! This is an intelligent Sci-Fi ACTION film that actually takes a STORY and puts it before you. The FX (Weapons, ships) are measured and to the point. The alien make-up is very good and consistent. The snatches of back-story gives you a hint of politics and secrecy to give the story some added depth. And the STORY actually holds your attention.

A Man on a classified Mission in a Suit endowed with Artificial Intelligence to find a terrorist on an untrammeled world runs into complications, not the least of which is the Suit in which he finds himself prisoner. It's refreshing. It's different.

And the Suit. . .Not Bad.

Those of you who actually READ Science Fiction-- just suspend your belief and watch. You will find it enjoyable. For the rest of you: It's a 'B' Movie, Not a Hollywood Box Office Blow-out. Just because it's 'B' does not make it 'Bad'. And best of all, the movie works because the actors are truly letting the movie tell it's story. Zack Ward and the other actors take the script seriously and they are giving it a professional send-up. And that's what makes this movie work.

Lower your expectations. Watch this one on a late Friday Night after a hard week at work. Have Chips and Dip on the couch with you. Just enjoy it!

Rate 2 for the suit

[ericzillazillo · 2/10 · 26 June 2011]

The movie poster gave me the wrong idea. What I imagined was robots and spaceships, and space battles like Star Wars. Of course it isn't Star Wars, but movies like these were not meant to have a good storyline. We were supposed to see cool laser-gun fights and spaceship battles. But there were none. The closest thing to a spaceship was Mr. mentally Handicapped Midget and that piece of crap. Also, the movie poster promised a futuristic metropolis and LOTs of spaceships, with absolutely NO HINT of forests or green aliens. Tsk tsk...

And I don't know what many liberals think about the anti-establishment storyline, but I think that it sucked. I don't know many movies that just abruptly end like that. 60 minutes into the theatre and I still can't see a climax. The story is dry and just not for human eyes. Where's the action? And of course, that stereo-typical dread music at the end of the film where the Main Character dies? Just awful. And also, to those who think that it has a storyline, I advise you not to trust them. This movie has no storyline. No happy ending. No drama. No good music. It's one of those films that you just can't stand. Of course, if you are a liberal or praise the hippie-culture, watch it. But not for the entertainment.

Not bad, for a first effort

[JoeB131 · 4/10 · 9 March 2009]

This film wasn't that bad, except that a lot of the "plot twists" were kind of predictable.

It's a future time, where Earth has joined an alliance with an bunch of aliens called the Pavonians, against another bunch called the Aquarians who live in fishbowls. So far, this is kind of standard Sci-Fi boilerplate.

Our hero is sent out in a prototype battlesuit to capture an unnamed war criminal. He encounters an alien general of the Pavonians, who is really hot despite the alien makeup. Except he is being set up to test human endurance, not to actually complete any mission. There are machinations that are about as shallow as you can get.

Acting is sub-par, the special effects look like they were worked up on someone's home computer. Still, I give this movie credit for being other than the typical Sci-Fi Channel template of "Monster on the loose".

The dialog was kind of shallow, and the actors all looked like they were recruited from a film-school class. Huge holes in the plot logic. (Did this alliance really keep its senior commanders on this ship,waiting for reports?)

Mediocre, at best. But I've seen millions spent on worse films.

very bad acting

[kaefab · 3/10 · 19 April 2019]

Looks more like a very bad sci fi movie with bad cg and worst acting, how can you be more wooden then that Asian general.

30 minutes in and i shut it down.

Loved this movie!

[dcu9002246 · 10/10 · 10 May 2009]

There was so much more to this sci fi, than a bunch of special effects. There was such a "human" element that really made me care about these characters. Monica May, as the female alien, has got to be the sexiest alien ever! Even though she wears the green face of an alien, you can still see her facial expressions. She has that sultry voice and the great body all lend to the fact that she is female in every sense of the word-alien or not. I loved the story line concerning the special suit that Jordan wears. Zach Ward was very engaging as he struggles with the reality of what has happened to him. There were funny parts. I like funny, even in Sci Fi. I don't want to write a spoiler, so I will just say that I was so touched by the closing scene that I cried! This was a lot more that just a bunch of space ships blowing up....there was a real story here.

Not bad but nothing outstanding either

[TheLittleSongbird · 6/10 · 19 April 2012]

Battle Planet is not a great movie, but I have seen much worse as well. It does have a lot of problems, such as the wooden acting though Zack Ward was at least engaging, the hackneyed dialogue where nothing feels that natural and the clichéd and not very interesting or well-developed characters. I also had mixed feelings on the story, it did hold my attention and was reasonably paced with a decent idea and some nice back story elements, but some of it was silly and suspend-disbelief-inducing. On the other hand, it doesn't look too bad. True, not exactly well-made but much better than many other low-budget movies I've seen recently. The aliens were bizarre but not cheap in look, the plannetry scenery is surprisingly great, the make-up is consistent enough and the effects while not award-worthy are a step-up from other low-budget movies seen recently.

All in all, there is not much outstanding but I did sort of enjoy it and can name much worse movies even without having to look through old notebooks and my past reviews for reference. 6/10 Bethany Cox

Along W/ ALIEN CARGO, One Of The Best super lo-budget sci fi flicks

[hightidex · 9/10 · 2 November 2008]

It's great to see Zack Ward finally pull a "Lee Marvin". Typically cast as a villain or supporting character actor, he is masterful as the hero and even "gets the girl".

Brea Grant, hot off "Heroes", where she really shines and steals all her scenes... is recognizable : = ) as the alien.

Unlike a typical Sci-Fi Channel production, it is surprisingly devoid of eye-rolling dialog and moronic plot. Yes, the bar is set rather low for such a cheapo production but it actually doesn't look cheap. It has everything it needs production-wise to tells this story.

The plot twists are not mind-blowing but still plentiful and the thing really zips along. It was reminding me of "Alien Cargo" simply from the aspect of getting a mountain of character and plot out of a molehill of sets... and then... the ending. Im not giving anything away by saying it is ... uncompromising. KUDOS.

And then the coda. Not a spoiler : = )

Original title "The Suit" more suited

[eschrip · 7/10 · 29 April 2012]

I have to say, that I find this movie interesting.

Good Science Fiction tells stories that are difficult to tell in traditional drama or action venues; the story in this film does that.

Understanding a bit of the history of this movie, such as that the original title was "The Suit", should give the viewers a better understanding of the story then the one that was chosen by the SciFi Channel (SyFy). SyFy presumably felt that they needed a "SciFi" title to sell the movie, and no doubt put the pressure on.

The story isn't about a planet with lots of battles, but rather the story of a guy who is encased in what is a protective space suit. But the suit is actually a character in the movie. And the real question is, whom is it really protecting?

Since more difficult and subtle plot points are not the forte of the typical SyFy "made for TV movie", this much more nuanced story isn't your typical SyFy fair.

Given budget constraints, the art is quite good and original.

The acting is mixed, with some good performances. There are inherent difficulties in a film where one of the major characters acts inside of space suit, and another major character is an alien in full prosthetic makeup. But they manage to build a believable relationship by the end.

So while this film is not perfect, it has its moments, and its twists. It should keep many Science Fiction fans happy. But if you are looking for elaborate space fighting sequences, or broad fantasy themes, you may not like it. That doesn't mean you shouldn't at least give it a try. It might surprise you.

A gem that hearkens back to the best classic science fiction

[meridiangar · 10/10 · 4 November 2008]

I instantly recognized Zack Ward from quite a few other little sf gems, episodes of such shows as Outer Limits, Sliders, and Sarah Connor Chronicles. I don't know what it is, but this guy has a knack for showing up in some of the best episodes of the best shows - or maybe they're better because he's there. The same quality appears into Battle Planet. This movie completely blew me away, mainly because it was totally original and the goal it had in mind was done perfectly. The low budget only made the movie that much more surprising.

Kevin Thompson was unbelievably hilarious as the Panhandler. I have never laughed at a Scifi Channel movie before this one, but there were scenes that had me laughing uncontrollably.

Last but definitely not least, the female alien main character (I am not sure which actress it is) was done just as perfectly as Zack Ward's character in acting AND in makeup. The makeup was phenomenal. It felt very real, especially in scenes where she was running or moving around completely freely. Normally science fiction movies only show head/face shots and you can tell it's fake.

Great movie.

Good but it leaves a black void of depression in the end

[zurg_ling90 · 7/10 · 27 December 2008]

I thought the movie was neat. I don't want to talk about it all day, but it looked and sounded great seeing as how most low-budget Sci-Fi B movies usually get really cheesy. The dialog and plot and characters are also good, my favorite character being a short guy who shouts "DON'T LOOK IN MY CARGO HOLD!" and then immediately follows it up with "There's nothing in there!" It was fun to watch, but aside from some light comedy and interesting drama, in the end everything just falls flat. And dead. Flat and dead. Because quite literally by the end of the movie, pretty much every character has died, including both protagonists and the short guy that I liked, and the movie has nothing to show for it. There's no happy ending for anyone, no satisfying conclusion. Everybody's dead, especially the likable characters, and they don't really make any big developments before their deaths, especially the talking suit, which is also a character. It's like when you play a video game that's very plot-oriented, it's based around the idea that your character survives from the beginning to the end. If you die, the game STOPS and you get a game over and have to restart because you have to continue the plot because your character isn't supposed to die yet. This movie is like that. The characters are going along in a plot, and then they die and get a game over. Then the credits roll. Seriously. It feels like they died too early in the plot, and have to restart because the plot requires them to be alive. But instead of hitting that "Load Save" button to continue the adventure from the point where the characters were last alive, the movie just gives up the whole thing and roles the credits. My point is it's depressing. It really really is. The main characters kiss at the end. Gross. Not just because it's man-on-humanoid kissing, but the "hot alien chick" of this particular movie has green, scaley skin and a really funky, inhuman face. There are just two intelligent species in the movie, humans and some fish people, and all the fish people look funny. I so wasn't expecting them to kiss at the end. Or maybe I didn't want to believe that they would. "The Suit" sounds like a name for a horror movie and "Battle Planet" is a complete misrepresentation of the movie. The art on IMDb might suggest lots of epic action, but the planet is hardly embattled. There's action, but it's on a small scale. Like, the main characters encounter some badguys but nobody is at war, especially on the planet which is assumed to be inhabited by no intelligent life according to the movie. Try and see it if you see it on Sci-Fi, but don't go way out of your freaking way because, though it's a good movie, the ending, and their careless killing off of characters, is freaking lame.

Very good movie!

[Anoke · 10/10 · 6 March 2009]

BATTLE PLANET

Sci-Fi Channel makes very good TV series. „Battle Star Galactica" remains one of the finest drama on television. Earlier Sci-fi brought us such charming shows like „Sliders" and small screen version of "Tremors". With Sci-Fi Channel produced movies the story is completely different. Many of them shouldn't be called films at all. The pseudomovies starring yesterday stars like "Riddles of the Sphinx" and "Epoch" should be avoided like a plague. Luckily, there are some movies presented by Sci-Fi Channel which, although made with extremely low budget' are really worth watching, One of such rare diamonds is „Battle Planet" directed by Greg Aronowitz. It's a "little –big" movie. Despite a shoestring budget "BP" delivers a tale which can fascinate audience on many levels. The story is about the soldier Jordan Stride, who is sent on a classified mission on an isolated planet to find renegade. With a brilliant virtuosity, in medias res films portrays a very interesting take on a futuristic universe. There are three civilizations: Humans, Bevorians and Aquarians. The first two species formed alliance and fight against the third in the interstellar war. This rich epic picture serves as a background to a very personal story which more depicts innerspace than outerspace. The soldier is sent with a special equipment – an experimental suit which is able to provide complex terrain scans and even feed its user. The power suit has its own artificial intelligence and speaks to its "Commander" with a human voice…"It's Commander"… soon it turns out that the commandership of Jordan is in question, because it's the suit who decides when the solider has to sleep, where he has to go and what he can or cannot say (there's a great scene in the movie when Jack wants to say something about his mission to another character, but the suite mutes his voice!) The relationship between Jordan and The Suit is core of the storyline. This is a brilliant idea, but at the same time it's a difficult test for an actor, who most of time plays alone. Zack Ward stars as Jordan Stride and it's a magnificent performance. This is one of many reasons you should go see this movie. During his mission Jordan meets a mysterious person. It's the general Jun'hee - a humanoid Bevorian woman. And here go two other reasons to watch „Battle Planet". Firstly – the wonderful design and execution of makeup. How many times we have seen in various "Star Trek" carnations people with prosthetic makeup. How many times we have seen in other films people with face masks. After all these efforts it's seems it's impossible to come up with something fresh and new, yet Aronowitz & Co managed to bring something truly original. The prosthetics in "Battle Planet" look superbly inhuman, yet leaves freedom of facial expressions. It's like a small miracle. In a nick of time we buy Jun'hee as a real creature. It's not a human hidden under heavy makeup, it's another species. Last time I had such a feeling watching Wolfgang Petersen's "Enemy Mine". Of course this movie magic wouldn't happen without the great performance by Monica May. I have never seen Monica in another role, but she is simply wonderful as Jun'hee. On the side note – the makers of the movie plays a risky yet interesting game: Jun'hee is a reptile-face alien, she is a beast yet there is something very sexual sensual, very sexual abort Her. It's easy to give a beautiful woman plastic ears, calls her Elf (or Vulcan) and claims she is the most sexy alien ever appeared on the silver screen. It's one million times more difficult to show a creature-girl with lizardesque face and then make her a believable love interest for a human hero. Other designs and visual ideas are also very interesting - aliens, spaceships, landscapes (the silhouette of Saturn-like planets beyond the clouds etc) . And then there's The Suit itself – another "perfect ten". Kudos to Aronovitz and Co for making such a big show on such a small resources. The interesting actions sequences don't overshadow the message of the movie – the truth about the technology who changes it's role in human life: from the servant to a symbiotic and then, who knows, the ultimate master… I'm praising this film and go sky-high with my enthusiasm about it, because I really would like my fellow science fiction fans to see it. Of course "Battle Planet" has many little flaws (most of them because of the budget limitations). If someone wants to trash this rough diamond, it its easy. You can blame it for out-of-date cgi effects and some poorly executed scenes. You can blame it for its cheapness. But – if you are true fan of science fiction – trashing "Battle Planet" is like shooting your own foot. The point is: the creators of "Battle Planets", despite the low budget nature of their film, attempted to make an interesting intelligent hard sf movie, with interesting characters and designs. They tried to avoid all the clichés and stereotypes you can see in almost every summer blockbuster. And you know what? They won the battle. They won it for us – fans of science fiction stories with spaceships, alien species and mysterious new worlds; for us – the lovers of the escapism-stories with deep messages about the current and near future condition of humanity.

„Battle Planet" lacks the budget, but it has heart and mind, brilliant acting and great design& makeup effects. It's the movie you won't forget!