Battlefield Earth

BATTLEFIELD EARTH (12)

D: Roger Christian

Warner Bros./Morgan Creek/Franchise (Elie Samaha, Jonathan D. Crane & John Travolta)

USA 🇺🇸 2000

117 mins

Science Fiction/Adventure

W: Corey Mandell & J.D. Shapiro [based on the novel by L. Ron Hubbard]

DP: Giles Nuttgens

Ed: Robin Russell

Mus: Elia Cmiral

PD: Patrick Tatopolous

John Travolta (Terl), Barry Pepper (Jonnie Goodboy Tyler), Forest Whitaker (Ker), Kim Coates (Carlo), Richard Tyson (Robert the Fox), Sabine Karsenti (Chrissy), Kelly Preston (Chirk)

Often hailed as one of the worst films ever made, and with good reason.

Based on a novel by Church of Scientology founder, L. Ron Hubbard, the story is set thousands of years in the future, where humans have reverted back to Neanderthal like state and a race of aliens called Psychlos are the dominant species.

The film was a labour of love for John Travolta, who co-funded the production, but it was flawed from the start, with a ridiculous story and a preposterous screenplay (it's simply laughable that the ending features a group of cavemen flying a Harrier jets which have lied dormant for a millennium).

The film was originally intended to be part of a trilogy, but plans for a sequel were scrapped because the first movie was so badly received by audiences and critics alike.

A much more interesting story can be found by doing an internet search for "franchise pictures fraud", detailing how one of the production companies ripped off many investors bringing this tripe to screen.

0/10

Did You Know:

The film's cinematographer has gone on record as saying that the overuse of color filters and Dutch Angles wasn't his idea, and that he was given the smallest lighting budget he had ever worked with.

Many other cast and crew members have expressed regret for participating in the production of this film.