Battle Los Angeles (2011 Film)

On August 11, 2011, mysterious objects thought to be meteorites crash into Earth's oceans near several major cities including Tokyo, Paris, Rio de Janeiro, Buenos Aires, Boston, New Orleans, Mexico City, New York City, Hong Kong, Shanghai, London, Manchester, Barcelona, Hamburg, Sydney and Los Angeles. These objects are revealed to be spacecraft containing hostile extraterrestrial forces. U.S. Marines from Camp Pendleton arrive in LA to defend against alien ground forces and assist in the evacuation of civilians in preparation for a bombing campaign. Among the military's forces is SSgt. Michael Nantz (Aaron Eckhart), a 20-year veteran who lost his squad during his last deployment in Iraq. Nantz had planned to retire, but the situation requires him to replace the platoon sergeant of a platoon from "E" Company, 2nd Battalion 5th Marines.

Under command of 2nd Lt. William Martinez (Ramón Rodríguez), fresh out of The Basic School, the platoon attends a briefing at Santa Monica Airport, which has been converted to a Forward Operating Base. They learn that the alien force consists solely of ground forces at the moment, with no air support to speak of; as such, the USAF plans to commence saturation bombing of the Santa Monica area at 1700 hours. The platoon's mission is to rescue civilians from an LAPD police station within three hours. As they advance through the city, they are ambushed by aliens and suffer casualties, but link up with a group of U.S. Army National Guard soldiers from the 40th Infantry Division, including Air Force intelligence Technical Sergeant Elena Santos (Michelle Rodriguez). Eventually, the combined team reaches the police station, finding five civilians inside: a veterinarian named Michele (Bridget Moynahan), children Hector Rincon (Bryce Cass), Kirsten (Joey King) and Amy (Jadin Gould), and Hector's father Joe (Michael Peña). A helicopter arrives to evacuate the wounded Marines, but is unable to take on the civilians because it is already full. It is destroyed by an alien aircraft upon takeoff.

The Marines commandeer a city bus for evacuation. They also find a wounded alien and, with the help of Michele, learn of the aliens' physiology, finding a weak point in the torso. When the bus is menaced by an alien aircraft, Nantz realizes they can home in on radio signals and destroys the aircraft by luring it to a gas station using a walkie-talkie and a hand grenade. Nantz investigates the wreckage and discovers that the aircraft are unmanned combat aerial vehicles. Santos reveals her original mission to locate the aliens' central command center, believing that its destruction would deactivate the alien drones and turn the tide of the war. On a freeway, they encounter a lone M1 Abrams that is under attack and subsequently destroyed by the aliens. With the bus under attack, the Marines begin rappelling the civilians off the side of the freeway; Mr. Rincon is wounded in action while defending the operation, while the Army personnel and two Marines are killed. Lt. Martinez is also wounded, and sacrifices himself to destroy the enemy unit by detonating C-4 explosives inside the bus, leaving Nantz in command.

The remnants of the platoon (Nantz, Santos, Corporal Kevin Harris (Ne-Yo), Corpsman Jibril Adukwu (Adetokumboh M'Cormack), Lance Corporal Peter Kerns (Jim Parrack), Corporal Lee Imlay (Will Rothhaar), Corporal Jason Lockett (Cory Hardrict) and the five civilians) escape the bombing zone, taking refuge at a convenience store. A news report speculates that the aliens have attacked Earth for its water supply, which they use as fuel. The team waits for the bombing to begin, but nothing happens; The reason behind the bombing not commencing is revealed at the Santa Monica Airport, where the FOB was destroyed by the aliens. Nantz spots an alternate extraction point by helicopter and has the team utilize a LAV-25 and a Humvee to reach their destination. Before they embark, Rincon dies from his wounds and Lockett (whose brother died under Nantz's command) openly doubts Nantz's ability to lead. Nantz and Lockett come to terms with their guilt and anger as Nantz lists the names, ranks and numbers of all the marines who have died under his command from memory. They get to the extraction point and leave.

From the air, Nantz spots a city block lacking power, believing it to be the location of the alien command center. With the military forces having retreated from the area, Nantz decides to try to recon the area alone, but is instead accompanied by his team. Going underground, the Marines confirm the presence of a large alien vessel and return to the surface. Kerns radios in a guided artillery strike which will be targeted by Nantz via laser designator while the remainder defend the position. Kerns is killed when his radio broadcasts draw attention to him, and the command center, damaged but not disabled, rises from the ground to find safer haven. With the aid of further missile strikes, the Marines are able to destroy it, and the alien ground forces retreat as their drones rain down around them.

Nantz's team is extracted to a temporary base in the Mojave Desert, where they are greeted as heroes for their bravery. All other cities under attack now plan to emulate their strategy, destroying the alien command center in each city. More ground troops are being deployed to retake Los Angeles, with Nantz's team rejoining the fight despite orders to rest.