BATTLE LOS ANGELES (12A).

Sci-Fi/War/Action. Aaron Eckhart, Ramon Rodriguez, Michelle Rodriguez, Bridget Moynahan, Michael Pena, William Rothhaar, Cory Hardrict, Ne-Yo, Gino Anthony Pesi, Lucas Till, Adetokumboh M’Cormack. Director: Jonathan Liebesman.

Another year, another attempted alien invasion of Earth.

Considering the shambolic state of the planet, depleted of natural resources and poisoned by man-made toxins, surely there are more attractive colonisation options in the galaxy?

Yet the extra-terrestrials continue to descend on our major cities and the only way to survive is to fight back.

Before you can say Independence Day, War Of The Worlds and Skyline, the US military flexes its muscle and a Stars And Stripes flag flutters in slow-motion as a gesture of mankind’s last stand against these enemies from beyond the stars.

Director Jonathan Liebesman embraces the cliches of the genre with fervour, working from Chris Bertolini’s script, which is crudely bolted together with explosive action set pieces and slick digital effects that create a compelling vision of a city making its final stand.

The film opens on August 12, 2011, with capitals around the world under attack from a mobilised otherworldly force.

We rewind 24 hours and follow events leading to first contact and the subsequent bloodbath.

Battle Los Angeles delivers all of the macho posturing and edge of seat thrills you expect set to a bombastic orchestral score.

The cast embrace their roles with utmost seriousness and most of the humour is unintentional.

Delicious ironies in Bertolini’s screenplay are presumably accidental, like the invaders hunting down survivors by tracking their mobiles.

In 1982, Spielberg stranded an alien on Earth who only wanted to phone home.

Almost 30 years later, the human race does the same and meets a sticky end. It’s not good to talk.