Upon arrival, Nantz and his platoon are sent out to aid in the evacuation of all public citizens before a defensive bombing of the Santa Monica region is executed by the U.S. Air Force. The platoon's destination: a police station in West L.A. reported to have several civilians taking shelter there.
With humanity at a mortal disadvantage because of the enemy's technological superiority, Nantz and company observe a ravaged city and lifeless civilian bodies seemingly at every turn as they march to their objective on foot. From their trek to the abandoned police station, to their journey toward the last functioning extraction zone, the platoon must fight for their survival as well as for the safety of the civilians they are escorting.
Meanwhile, as the number of casualties rises, Staff Sgt. Nantz is forced to deal with certain painful truths regarding his previous command that have formed rifts between he and his men. But in the end, despite fighting a losing battle, the platoon takes it upon themselves to attempt a dangerous recon mission that stands as humanity's last hope to turn the tide.
Combining elements found in modern military films with science fiction, Battle: Los Angeles is both gritty and imaginative in its visual presentation. A box office success, the film was directed by Jonathan Liebesman and stars Golden Globe nominee Aaron Eckhart as Staff Sgt. Michael Nantz.
It was a supernatural weekend at the box office, with a movie about werewolves and two about aliens. But did the similarities hurt any of the films vying for the top spot?
It certainly didn't hurt the sci-fi epic "Battle: Los Angeles" as the alien invasion film grossed a respectable $36 million. Considering the budget for "Battle: Los Angeles" was a fairly cheap $70 million, the movie looks to be in good shape going forward.