Battle: Los Angeles

Battle: Los Angeles (which was also released under the title World Invasion: Battle Los Angeles) is a 2011 science fiction war film directed by Jonathan Liebesman and produced by Columbia Pictures. A poorly-received videogame adaptation of the movie, developed by Saber Interactive and published by Konami, was also released together with the film. The film stars Aaron Eckhart as Staff Sergeant Michael Nantz, a Marine on the verge of retirement and whose actions in battle start to cause concern among some of the men under his command; however, this is interrupted when the titular battle begins as a meteor shower turns out to be the first phase of an alien invasion. The film was made with the cooperation of the US Department of Defense and the United States Marine Corps, who supplied the production with authentic armor and aircraft. The events of the film are supposed to be tied into the "Battle of Los Angeles", an event in early 1942 when the US military opened fire on what were thought to be Japanese aircraft over the city; the "Battle" turned out to be a false alarm, though some believe the antiaircraft batteries were firing at alien spacecraft (an incident that also loosely inspired the 1979 Steven Spielberg film 1941). The film's cast includes Michelle Rodriguez, Ramon Rodriguez, Bridget Moynahan, and Michael Peña.
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=Handguns=
== Beretta 92FS ==
Staff Sergeant Michael Nantz (Aaron Eckhart) is notably seen firing a Beretta 92FS (used as the substitute for the Military M9) pistol at the alien soldiers during the final battle. In a continuity error, he is seen first firing the handgun and then in the next scene he is actually seen drawing the handgun. A Marine is also seen drawing one out during the first encounter of the alien soldiers.
=Rifles=
==M4A1 Carbine==
The M4A1 Carbine is one of the main weapons utilized by the U.S. Armed Forces in the film. The M4A1 is seen in the hands of members of the 2nd Battalion 5th Marines including Staff Sergeant Michael Nantz (Aaron Eckhart) and Second Lieutenant William Martinez (Ramón Rodríguez). USAF Technical Sergeant Elena Santos (Michelle Rodriguez) is also seen with an M4. The Marines' M4A1 carbines are fitted with ACOG scopes, RIS foregrips, Surefire Universal weaponlights, and most interestingly, AN/PEQ-15 laser designators; an improved, compact version of the AN/PEQ-2 system first employed in the early 2000s. In several scenes, bayonets are seen fixed on the M4s (which appear to be OKC-3S bayonets, adopted by the Marines to replace the M9 bayonet). The M4s are also all equipped with what appear to be Magpul Back Up Sights (MBUS) though these are never actually used. While training on Camp Pendelton the M4s are seen with EOtech Holographic sights. According to the Instagram account of XTreme Props, which provided the weapons and military props for the film, the M4s in this movie (notably, the carbine used by Santos) are actually mostly built on Desert Ordnance lower receiver groups.
thumb|600px|none|Staff Sergeant Michael Nantz (Aaron Eckhart) fires his M4A1 carbine.
thumb|600px|none|Technical Sergeant Elena Santos (Michelle Rodriguez) aims her M4A1 carbine. Note that she is the only one who is seen with a M4A1 that uses the standard handguard instead of the RIS rails handguard.
==M16A4==
The M16A4 is carried by various Marines fitted with ACOG scopes (both TA31F and TA31RCO models in Larue Precision mounts), RIS foregrips, Surefire flashlights mounted in Viking Tactics mounts, Viking Tactics rifle slings, Magpul MBUS rear sights, and AN/PEQ-15 IR designators. Soldiers of the 40th Infantry Division (Californian Army National Guard) are also armed with M16A4s, but without the AN/PEQ-15s. Joe Rincon (Michael Peña) is seen using the M16A4 as well.
=Machine Guns=
== FN M249 SAW ==
The full-length E2 model of the M249 SAW with long barrel and fixed synthetic buttstock is carried by U.S. Marines, most notably by Cpl. Nick Stavrou (Gino Anthony Pesi) and LCpl. Corey Simmons (Taylor Handley) fitted with Trijicon ACOG scopes.
thumb|600px|none|A Marine is seen shooting at an alien soldier with his M249 SAW.
== FN M249 SAW Paratrooper ==
At least two E3 Paratrooper models of the M249 SAW with M4-style collapsible buttstocks and plastic belt box can be seen carried by U.S. Marines while they're boarding the helicopters at Camp Pendleton.
==FN M240 Machine Gun==
Several models of the M240 machine gun are seen used in the film. The "D" model of the M240 machine gun is visible on the ramp of the U.S.M.C. CH-46 Sea Knight carrying Nance's Marines as well as on the UH-1 Huey helicopter sent to retrieve the Marines at the police station. The M240B is seen mounted on Marine LAVs and can briefly be seen being carried by a Marine. Nantz is seen manning the M240B when the Marines commandeer an LAV. Also, the coaxial-mounted version M240C is utilized by the LAV-25 and an M1A1 Abrams tank.
thumb|600px|none|The mounted version of the M240 machine gun is visible on the ramp of the U.S.M.C. CH-46 Sea Knight. 
thumb|600px|none|A Sea-Knight crew member mans an M240D machine gun. 
thumb|600px||none|An LAV crew member mans the M240B.
thumb|600px|none|Nantz is seen manning the M240B when the Marines commandeer an LAV. Also visible in this shot is the firing port for the LAV-25's coaxial M240C, mounted next to the LAV's main armament.
==Browning M2HB==
The Browning M2HB is seen mounted on various Marine Humvees as well as in a machine gun nest at the Santa Monica Airport. Cpl. Jason Lockett (Cory Hardrict) is seen using a Humvee's M2 to fire at alien soldiers on an overpass. The M2HB is also seen mounted on an M1A1 Abrams tank and on AAVP7A1 amphibious APCs in news footage.
thumb|600px|none|An M2HB machine gun mounted on top of the M1A1 Abrams tank on the left.
==Browning M3 Heavy Machine Gun==
When Nantz meets Lt. Martinez, several Marines can be seen mounting a Browning M3 at the side of a UH-1N Huey helicopter at MCAS Camp Pendleton (in a continuity error, they are seen mounting the machine gun twice).
=Heavy Weapons=
== BGM-71 TOW ==
In some shots, USMC AH-1W Super Cobra attack helicopters can be seen armed with BGM-71 TOW missiles on the wing pylons.
==M242 Bushmaster chaingun==
The 25mm M242 Bushmaster chaingun is the main gun of the Marines' LAV-25 armored personnel carrier seen throughout the film.
==M197 Vulcan==
The M197 Vulcan appears in the film as the secondary armament of USMC AH-1W Super Cobra attack helicopters.
==GAU-8/A Avenger==
When the Marines are scrambled to counter the invasion, two A-10A Thunderbolt IIs can be seen sitting on the tarmac, complete with their General Electric GAU-8/A Avenger cannons.
== Mk 19 Grenade Launcher ==
The Mk 19 grenade launcher is briefly seen mounted on a Marine Humvee when Nantz and his squad first take the streets in Santa Monica. Mk 19s can also be seen in the mini-turrets of USMC AAVP7A1 amphibious transports in news footage earlier in the movie.
=Other=
==M203 Grenade Launcher==
The standard length M203 grenade launcher is seen mounted on some U.S. Marines M16A4s.
==M203A1 Grenade Launcher==
The M203A1 grenade launcher is seen used by several U.S. Marines as well mounted on the M4A1 carbines, most notably Cpl. Jason Lockett (Cory Hardrict) and Cpl. Lee Imlay (Will Rothhaar) where the latter is seen using his M203A1 to detonate an explosive during the final battle.
== M136 AT4 ==
One of the Marines is seen carrying the M136 AT4 after acquiring it from the wreckage of the FOB. Technical Sergeant Elena Santos (Michelle Rodriguez) uses it in the battle to destroy an alien drone. The sound editing crew seems to the treat the AT4 as a guided weapon, judging by the squealing lock-on tone heard before firing, despite the fact that Santos was actually aiming at the drone's flight path rather than the drone itself.
==M67 hand grenade==
Nantz is notably seen using an M67 hand grenade to detonate a gas station.
==M18 smoke grenade==
Cpl. Lee Imlay (Will Rothhaar) is seen tossing an M18 smoke grenade in order to mark a landing zone at the police station.
== M252 Mortar ==
A Marine mortar team is seen using an M252 mortar when Staff Sergeant Michael Nantz (Aaron Eckhart) and his platoon arrives in Los Angeles.
thumb|none|350px|M252 Mortar - 81mm
== M112 C4 Demolition Charge ==
During the battle on the highway, Marines are seen hiding M112 C4 demolition charges in wrecked vehicles as the aliens advance. While obviously no movie would have actors handling actual plastic explosive charges, the prop charges emulate the lettering of the real thing.
==M712 Copperhead==
In the final battle, the U.S. Marines use the M712 Copperhead munition, a 155mm artillery shell with pop-out fins for laser-guided operation, against the aliens. It is directly referred to as a "copperhead" and is accurately shown to be used with a laser designator, however, they're inaccurately shown to be a self-powered projectile (i.e. a guided missile) when we see it flying a flat path with a smoke trail. The M712 has no propulsion, it glides to its target from above using gravity and the momentum from being fired. We don't see what's launching it, but it's presumably the M777 Howitzer, based on its current usage by the USMC. These also appear in the game, where they're referred to just as the M712.
Category:Movie
Category:Action Movie
Category:Science-Fiction
Category:Disaster
Category:War