3-D effects, 1-D characters

Rating: 4/10 (16 June 2010)

Some thoughts on this movie.
First, in many ways, it was very manipulative. The bad guys were painted in the darkest tones, while the aliens and "nice" humans were painted in the brightest colors. No one was given any depth. The amusingly named "Unobtainium" (Really? Really?) is valuable, but they never tell you for what, or why they are willing to send people across the galaxy to die or kill for it.
Even the character design was pulling the heart strings. Of course, the aliens look like your kitty-kat. Ooooooh, how cute! Meanwhile your mercenaries looked like thugs and rednecks.
The movie telegraphs it's punches so loudly you might as well see the words "PLOT POINT" flash across the screens. Like when the alien babe tells the hero that riding the Turok was a big honking deal. Well, you wouldn't be losing any money betting he'd be riding it by the end of the movie.
Some point were laughable. Like the mecha that happened to have a big knife as part of the equipment. Okay, it looks cool and all, but what's the practical application of that? Not to mention the tedious pace in parts of the film. Kind of like Titanic when you said, "Just hit the damned iceberg, already." Not a bad film, but really overrated.