With pop culture consumed with Avatar fever, I thought it a good idea to revisit a film that hit theatres this summer with much less fanfare, but just as poignant a message. For those who just can’t get enough of eco-conscious aliens, Battle for Terra is now available on DVD or as a download.
Battle for Terra introduces us to a fantastic new world where a race of tadpole-like creatures live in peace among a truly unique landscape (or should I say sky-scape?) unlike anything seen on film before. When the moon is eclipsed by a strange object in the sky, many think that the cross-shaped vessels that emanate from it are gods coming to take them to the next life, waving their arms willingly as they are drawn into the flying spacecrafts and whisked away.
Mala (voiced by Evan Rachel Wood) is not so trusting, but when she sees her father snatched up by one of the crafts, she tries to get taken as well. Her attempts get her chased down by one of the ships which she slyly causes to crash, taking the wounded human pilot (voiced by Luke Wilson) home to nurse back to health so that she can get her father back.
The two forge a relationship, of sorts, and the pilot agrees to help the little tadpole get her father back. However, the rest of his kind have other plans. The inhabitants of the spacecraft are the descendants of the last survivors of Earth before it was destroyed in a territorial war against the colonies on Venus and Mars as they fought for their independence. After several generations of floating through space, the humans have found this inhabitable planet to settle on.
The only problem is that the atmosphere won’t support them. As the council looks for a pragmatic solution, the general of the military stages a coup and launches a device that will turn the atmosphere to breathable oxygen for the humans, but will kill the native population.
Beyond the glaring theme of environmental sustainability, the film also offers some unique perspectives on loyalty, sacrifice, diplomacy, and war. The CGI animation is much simpler than Avatar, but what starts out as a truly peculiar little fantasy becomes a philosophically challenging story with a lot of heart. If you missed it in the theater, don’t miss it on DVD or download.
Steve McAllister
Steve McAllister is an acclaimed author, filmmaker, actor, and musician. In addition to contributing to Modern Hippie Mag, he also writes InkenSoul, a blog focused on literature and information that promotes commerce, charity, creativity, spirituality, and environmental sustainability. Purchase his most recent novel, The McAllister Code as an e-book at www.themcallistercode.com. Find Steve on Twitter, @InkenSoul. Read his reviews and articles here.
