Battleship (2012)
Battleship is a 2012 American military science fiction action film based on the board game of the same name. The film was directed by Peter Berg from a script by brothers Jon and Erich Hoeber and stars Alexander Skarsgård, Taylor Kitsch, Brooklyn Decker, Rihanna in her feature film debut, Tadanobu Asano, Hamish Linklater and Liam Neeson. Filming took place in Hawaii and on USS Missouri. In the film, the crews of a small group of warships are forced to battle against a naval fleet of extraterrestrial origin in order to thwart their destructive goals. Battleship premiered in Tokyo on April 3, 2012 and was released by Universal Pictures in the United States on May 18, 2012.
The film was a box-office bomb, grossing $303 million worldwide against a production budget of $209–220 million, losing both Universal and Hasbro $150 million. It was nominated for six awards at the 33rd Golden Raspberry Awards, including Worst Picture, “winning” one for Worst Supporting Actress for Rihanna.
In contrast, however, it was nominated for an Annie Award for Outstanding Achievement in Animated Effects in a Live Action Production at the 40th Annie Awards.
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Plot.
In 2005, potentially habitable “Planet G” is discovered, and a communications array to reach any extraterrestrial life is built in Oahu. There, Alex Hopper is arrested while attempting to impress Sam Shane, daughter of Admiral Terrance Shane. Alex’s brother, Commander Stone Hopper, forces Alex to join the U.S. Navy. Seven years later, Alex is a lieutenant aboard the USS John Paul Jones and in a relationship with Sam, a physical therapist working with wounded veterans. While Stone is a model officer commanding the USS Sampson, the rebellious Alex is facing a disciplinary discharge. During the 2012 RIMPAC exercise, five alien spacecraft arrive. Their communications ship hits a satellite and crashes through the Bank of China Tower in Hong Kong, while the others plunge into the waters off Hawaii.
Sampson, John Paul Jones, and Japanese destroyer JDS Myōkō discover a floating structure that generates a force shield isolating the Hawaiian Islands and the three destroyers, from the rest of the world, and jamming all radar and communications inside. Three alien warships surface and open fire; Myōkō is destroyed, Sampson is lost with all hands including Stone, and John Paul Jones’ command crew are killed, with Alex reluctantly assuming command. John Paul Jones disengages to recover Myōkō’s survivors including Captain Yugi Nagata, while alien drones destroy Oahu’s military installations and roads, ignoring all targets that do not pose a threat.
Hiking near the communications array, Sam and retired U.S. Army lieutenant colonel and double amputee Mick Canales discover the aliens’ presence.
They encounter scientist Cal Zapata, realizing the aliens have taken over the array to re-establish communications with their home planet. John Paul Jones’ crew captures an alien which telepathically links with Alex, revealing their history of destroying worlds. Other aliens retrieve their comrade while another sabotages the ship. Its armored suit proves impervious to small-arms fire but is obliterated by the destroyer’s 5-inch gun, and the captured alien’s helmet reveals their eyes are sensitive to sunlight. Ashore, Sam, Nick, and Zapata recover his spectrum analyzer, using it to radio John Paul Jones that the aliens will contact their planet when the facility’s satellite is in position in four hours.
Production.
Battleship was greenlit with a production budget of $150 million but went through a troubled pre-production. Universal at one point considered canceling the film, which would have resulted in a $30 million loss. However, new chairman Adam Fogelson decided the studio would lose less money if they increased the budget of the film instead of outright cancelling it. Filming was set to take place in Australia’s Gold Coast in 2010, but changed location due to a lack of Australian government tax incentives and a high estimated budget of $220 million. Filming took place in the United States on the Hawaiian islands of Maui and Oahu, as well as on the mainland where they had to film a few apartment scenes in Sherman Oaks, California, and they had also filmed a driving scene along with a shootout in Playa del Rey, California. Some scenes were also filmed in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. Further filming was done on USS Missouri. Also featured in the film were the real-life guided missile destroyers USS Benfold (DDG-65), USS John Paul Jones (DDG-53), and USS Sampson (DDG-102) all of which are active members of the US Navy Pacific Fleet.
Casting.
Jeremy Renner was originally considered for the role of Hopper. In April 2010, it was reported that Taylor Kitsch had been cast as Alex Hopper, Alexander Skarsgård played his brother Stone Hopper, Brooklyn Decker stars as Sam, Hopper’s fiancee and Liam Neeson as Admiral Shane, Sam’s father and Hopper’s superior officer. Barbadian R&B singer Rihanna makes her acting debut in the film, as a sailor. In an interview with GQ, Berg explained how he came up with the idea to cast her. He realized she could act after her appearance on Saturday Night Live. She accepted the role because she wanted “to do something badass” and also because it wasn’t a role too big for her to play. Tadanobu Asano also has a role in the film as the commander of a Japanese Kongō-class destroyer. Double amputee U.S. Army Colonel Gregory Gadson, who had never acted before, plays LTC Mick Canales. He was cast after Berg saw a picture of him in National Geographic.RELATED:
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The film marks the reunion between former co-stars Kitsch and Jesse Plemons, who previously worked together on Berg’s television series Friday Night Lights. Berg said he loves working with friends and explained he knew how comfortable Kitsch was with Plemons, “I know that he’s really good for Taylor and he makes Taylor better. So, I wrote that whole part for Jesse.” He added, “I never thought of it as a Friday Night Lights reunion. I thought of it as protection, bringing a trusted family member in.”
U.S. Navy sailors were used as extras in various parts of this film. Sailors from assorted commands in Navy Region Hawaii assisted with line handling to take Missouri in and out of port for a day of shooting in mid 2010.
Release.
The film was originally planned to be released in 2011, but was rescheduled to May 18, 2012, in the United States. The film’s world premiere took place in Tokyo on April 3, 2012. The event was attended by director Peter Berg, actors Taylor Kitsch, Brooklyn Decker, Alexander Skarsgård and Rihanna. Later on they initiated a Press Tour visiting Madrid, London and Cartagena de Indias to promote the film.