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I’m very much of the camp that wondered how in the world you could possibly adapt the popular Milton Bradley game BATTLESHIP into a big screen film, and today we see just how they plan to do it. Oddly enough, it not only looks like it works as a movie, but actually seems somewhat (cleverly) faithful to the source material. There’s aliens fighting the U.S. Navy, and a battle dome involved, and are those supposed to be… pegs? Think ARMAGEDDON or PEARL HARBOR mixed with TRANSFORMERS, and you’ll probably be able to predict the shots before you see them, but nevertheless tell me this doesn’t look crazy cool. The film stars Taylor Kitsch, Alexander Skarsgard, Liam Neeson, Brooklyn Decker, Rihanna, Josh Pence, Jesse Plemons and Peter MacNicol. Peter Berg (who in my opinion is great) is directing. It should also be noted that both Kitsch and Plemons are alumni from the FRIDAY NIGHT LIGHTS series, which was also helmed by Berg. This may just be a “check your brain at the door and have fun” film, but I gotta say I like what I see so far, which is good, as reportedly Universal spent in the neighborhood of $200 million on this thing. Seriously though, what guy wouldn’t want to marry Brooklyn Decker? I’d give her half my stuff right now just for the opportunity. Really, I would.
Peter Berg (Hancock) produces and directs Battleship, an epic action-adventure that unfolds across the seas, in the skies and over land as our planet fights for survival against a superior force. Based on Hasbro’s classic naval combat game, Battleship stars Taylor Kitsch as Lt. Alex Hopper, a Naval officer assigned to the USS John Paul Jones; Brooklyn Decker as Sam Shane, a physical therapist and Hopper’s fiancée; Alexander SkarsgÃ¥rd as Hopper’s older brother, Stone, Commanding Officer of the USS Sampson; Rihanna as Petty Officer Raikes, Hopper’s crewmate and a weapons specialist on the USS John Paul Jones; and international superstar Liam Neeson as Hopper and Stone’s superior (and Sam’s father), Admiral Shane.
BATTLESHIP opens May 18, 2012
Born and raised in Dallas, Mark has been a movie critic since 1994, with reviews featured in print, radio and National TV. In 2001 he started the Entertainment section of the Herorealm website, where he contributed film reviews and celebrity interviews until 2004. After three years of service there, he started Bigfanboy.com, which has become one of the Dallas film community's leading information websites. Bigfanboy hosts several movie screenings in the Texas area, and works closely with film and TV studios and promotional partners to host exciting events and contests. The site also features a variety of rare celebrity and filmmaker interviews, and Bigfanboy.com regularly covers the film festival circuit as well. In addition to Hollywood reporting, Mark has worked for many years as an advertising and sci-fi/comic book artist. Clients have included Lucasfilm Ltd., Topps Trading Cards, The Dallas Mavericks and The Dallas Stars. From 2002 until 2015 he managed the Dallas Comic Con, Sci-Fi Expo and Fan Days events in the DFW area. He currently catalogs rare comic books and movie memorabilia for Heritage Auctions, and runs the Dallas Comic Show conventions, but remains an avid moviegoer and cinema buff. 
