Pseudo patriotic...

Rating: 6/10 (30 October 2005)

Crass, bombastic special effects package has Americans attempting to wipe out war-crazed aliens after the power-hungry monsters have destroyed most of the country. Mindless hybrid of "Star Wars", "Alien" and "Top Gun" blends mass destruction with feel-good sentiments and bloated uplift (the film is a schizophrenic valentine to the USA, getting the opportunity to blow it up and then sentimentalize it). The dialogue is ridiculous throughout, although some of the characters are cynical and humorous and the cast comes through it all right. Film has aspirations to be heart-rending family entertainment, which makes its fiery violence and hollow vitriol that much more ludicrous. **1/2 from ****