Underrated movie

Rating: 7/10 (10 March 2014)

It's one of those movies some people love it and some people hate it. Apart from the excellent visual effects and the decent sound engineering, this blockbuster movie actually has a story: aliens attack Earth, humans prepare to fight back. And by humans meaning 12 year-olds.
Although I do not subscribe to the notion of children being used as instruments of war, in reality this happens on a wide scale. Be it children who are behind the gun or in front of it. So that shouldn't cause any 'morality-crises' to any self-aware individual. As it appears, in the future (where the movie takes place) things haven't changed much on this aspect.
I liked Asa's performance. He's a kid and he managed to pull through a difficult role. Harrison Ford's role on the other hand was quite one- dimensional. That's a clear waste of talent.
I would have liked the movie to develop more the weak/human side of the protagonist, to let us understand that he's a kid after all who is asked to become a hero in a few days. It would be also nice to have an introduction on the situation of future Earth and the alien home planet. And most importantly: why diplomacy failed in the first place.
Anyway, I think it's a decent movie that pulls you in the more you watch it.
7.5 / 10