Battlefield Earth is a movie starting John Travolta, Barry Pepper and Forest Whitaker. It’s based on a novel by L. Ron Hubbard of the same name. The plot revolves around Travolta and Whitaker as aliens who exploit humans on earth to mine gold.
It’s the year 3000AD and man isn’t doing too well. We’ve been conquered by aliens referred to as the Psychlos. Travolta plays a security officer and his assistant is Whitaker. Humans are rounded up and forced to work mining gold. It’s odd, but it seems gold really is a good, long term investment.
Barry Pepper is a human who has enjoyed something of freedom before he is caught. When he is caught he acts out and draws attention. He quickly learns things have changed. At the same time we learn more about the Psychlos. They are profit driven and under extremely tight demands from headquarters. They cannot stand being on the outpost of Earth and use a nose plug to block the foul smell of our air.
Travolta plays his role well, especially in the scenes where he accuses Whitaker of stealing from him. Ok, so when I say play the role well I mean enjoyable. It’s not oscar quality.
The best parts of the movie focus in on Pepper’s character of Jonnie Goodboy Tyler. He’s pretty boring until Travolta hatches a plan to put humans in the wilderness to mine for him. Keeping constant watch over him through remote cameras, Travolta quickly learns that “man-animals” are resourceful. Meanwhile, Pepper and his fellow humans hatch a plan to get back at the Psychlos.
At this point in the movie you see Pepper visit old malls and building while learning many things. It all culminates in a plan where the humans begin to fight their captors.
The special effects are nothing to write home about, and the plot is benign. The fun I had watching it was looking at another view of history. It’s been panned by everyone and makes all the worst films ever lists. Surprisingly, I enjoyed it for what it was … a simple distraction.
This isn’t a movie you want to watch with the kids, as there is violence and Pepper eats a live rat.
I know this is going to sound crazy, but I liked this movie. It’s made many all time worst movie lists, but I got a kick out of it