Battlefield Earth

This adaptation of a baggy, unfinished sci-fi novel by Scientology's L Ron Hubbard - starring famous acolyte Travolta - has a message that is loud but not at all clear. In fact, it plays more like a summer popcorn movie than a propaganda piece, with the emphasis on violent action, deafening explosions and CGI effects rather than meaningful statements. Travolta, it seems, had wanted to star in a film of Battlefield Earth since first reading the novel in 1982. Only the all-seeing L Ron knows why. The plodding storyline could not be simpler, or more boring. In the year 3000, the Earth is a post-war wasteland that has been colonised, Planet of the Apes-style, by hulking alien invaders, the Psychlos. Humans are used as slave labour, but unite to throw off the yoke of tyranny when fresh-faced hero Jonnie (Pepper), inspired by a glimpse of the Declaration of Independence in the derelict Denver library, hatches a plan to destroy the aliens' atmospherically controlled dome and overthrow the oppressors. Travolta originally coveted the 'good guy' role, but enjoys himself here as Terl, the Psychlos' sneering chief of security - although both he and his assistant Ker (Whitaker) wildly overplay the aliens' bombastic arrogance and mocking laughter. Director Roger (Nostradamus) Christian simply flings the action up on the screen, using visual wipes to disguise the lack of logic and continuity.