Basic Plot: Humanity attempts to take over a alien planet. A disabled soldier is torn between the desire to follow orders and the need to protect the world he has come to be a part of.

Outburst: Am I the only person not totally blown away by this movie? Okay, so I didn’t get to see it in IMAX 3-D with the dorky glasses. The special effects are still stellar, but a few times I could tell where objects were placed or moved to enhance the 3D effect, just like in those ridiculous rides at theme parks. Once you get past all the glitz, the plot itself is rather mundane.

/CULT — Folks who want to paint themselves blue notwithstanding, this is just an average-good movie. It’s pure Hollywood entertainment.

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Outburst: I love Irish mythology, folklore about the sea, and stories involving selkies.  So I’m just a little  biased when I see a traditional selkie tale made real through the magic of the screen.  It’s wonderfully done and highly recommended for anyone who finds Ireland or folktales fascinating.  Otherwise, you mind find the story too cutesy.  In some aspects it is perfect for the family (non-violent, non-scary), but some prudish-types might be put off by the little naked boy running around briefly in some scenes.  You’ll have to listen closely to understand everything being said, the accents are authentically Irish.

/DVD (2 of 3 stars) – If you savor retellings of popular folktales, it is worthy of your collection.  For the regular movie-watcher, it’s worth watching once and moving on.