the Darkest Hour

[Ahriman238]

About a week from the movie, 'the Darkest Hour' or as I like to think of it, the 3rd part of the Skyline/Battlefield LA/Cowboys &Aliens/Darkest Hour quartet of virtually identical sci-fi alien invasion flicks. Maybe it was a mistake to abuse the aliens from District 9.

This time, however, the aliens aren't after our water, our women, or even our gold. Now they want our electricity. Clearly it's easier to kill us all then to come up with some means of generating power, and interstellar travel costs them less then they'll make by tapping the NA power grid.

Oh, it takes place in Russia, so I suppose that's a small difference. I'm more interested by the aliens being invisible.

[open_sketchbook]

This doesn't look much at all like any of those films. A weird premise, a setting other than MURRICA, and interesting looking opponents? Count me in.

[Companion Cube]

that trailer really gained nothing by blurting out all that expository dialogue/text. "THIS IS THEIR PLAN"; "THIS IS HOW WE'LL FIGHT THEM".

[SpaceMarine93]

Silly film, silly premise. If they want electricity so much why can't they build a dyson sphere around their own sun with dynamos and electric generators attached?

[NecronLord]

Why are you assuming that little wil-o-the-wisps even have tool use sophisticated enough to build their own power plants? They might travel through space naturally, converging on low-power sources of electrical energy to reproduce off. They might not even be sapient?

We see that they can collapse buildings, and throw small objects. A very large elephant can do that. It doesn't mean it's going to be building its own nuclear plant any time soon.

While it's not a very scientifically plausible notion, it's well within the realms of classic sci-fi monsters.

[lordofchange13]

Silly film, silly premise. If they want electricity so much why can't they build a dyson sphere around their own sun with dynamos and electric generators attached?

Why do you assume they can make a Dyson Sphere? From what can be seen from the trailer, these glowing balls don't have any advanced technology(though it is possible that the tech is invisible), their vaporization power might be just one of their natural ability.

This movie does not look serious to me, reminds me of attack the block for some reason. more then liker i will not see it.

[Stark]

Dismissing a movie based on how 'plausible' or 'sciencefact' the setup isn't very helpful.

I think it looks cool, and the idea that the aliens are literally alien is good.

What exactly looks 'not serious' about it?

[Ahriman238]

Why are you assuming that little wil-o-the-wisps even have tool use sophisticated enough to build their own power plants? They might travel through space naturally, converging on low-power sources of electrical energy to reproduce off. They might not even be sapient?

We see that they can collapse buildings, and throw small objects. A very large elephant can do that. It doesn't mean it's going to be building its own nuclear plant any time soon.

While it's not a very scientifically plausible notion, it's well within the realms of classic sci-fi monsters.

To be honest, I assumed the will o'the wisps were failures of their cloaking technology, and not how the aliens are actually shaped. The shot of them raining could be some sort of parachute effect. Mostly though, i think this because when one is shot at it looks like there's a shield effect, a whole lot bigger than the wisps. I also get a distinct impression in the alien-cam bits of feet on the floor and solid motion, jumping onto the cop car etc.

Perhaps they wouldn't need out power reserves if they didn't run every electrical device they come into contact with?

[Stark]

See, rather than examing the evidence or drama you're just projecting your own preconceptions.

I hate to tell you this, but some fruity alien that likes 'energy' might interact with electrical things. This is hardly a movie-ruining conciet.

[lordofchange13]

Dismissing a movie based on how 'plausible' or 'sciencefact' the setup isn't very helpful.
I think it looks cool, and the idea that the aliens are literally alien is good.
What exactly looks 'not serious' about it?

I like the idea behind the aliens, so i will at least read the synopsis. the human characters in the movie ,sorry don't know how else to describe it, seem stupid that is why i probably will not go out of my way to see it.

[Stark]

So you admit that you have decided it 'seems stupid' based on literally nothing and thus won't see it?

Thanks for letting everyone know. This really keys into something discussed elsewhere around the kind of projection people display around protaganists with qualities they disagree with, so its fascinating for me.

[lordofchange13]

Thanks for letting everyone know.

No problem at all, it is good to know there are kindred souls on this thread.

[Adam Reynolds]

Thanks for letting everyone know. This really keys into something discussed elsewhere around the kind of projection people display around protaganists with qualities they disagree with, so its fascinating for me.

Where was that discussion?

As to the main topic, this does seem at least slightly interesting for a unique alien invasion scenario.

[NecronLord]

the human characters in the movie ,sorry don't know how else to describe it, seem stupid

Are you sure?

Because I just watched the same trailer as you and saw them use a scientific solution to a problem, discovering a way to detect the aliens, based on what they had previously observed. The voiceover is one of them narrating observed phenomena, and we even see that they manage to build some kind of anti-alien gun. What more do you want from them?

What you probably mean is that they seem scared, but your mind doesn't want to say it that way because you're aware that being scared of invisible invincible aliens that can cremate you in a moment is a very rational thing to be after encountering said aliens.

[Block]

the human characters in the movie ,sorry don't know how else to describe it, seem stupid

Are you sure?

Because I just watched the same trailer as you and saw them use a scientific solution to a problem, discovering a way to detect the aliens, based on what they had previously observed.

What you probably mean is that they seem scared, but your mind doesn't want to say it that way because you're aware that being scared of invisible invincible aliens that can cremate you in a moment is a very rational thing to be.

The only problem I saw was that they seemed to use fire and bullets to fight the things, wouldn't aliens that can suck the power out of powerlines basically absorb that kind of energy too?
edit: I realize they're not exactly the same thing, but energy is energy correct?

[NecronLord]

The only problem I saw was that they seemed to use fire and bullets to fight the things, wouldn't aliens that can suck the power out of powerlines basically absord that kind of energy too?

We see the protagonist group fucking about with some RPGs and then an anti-alien gun they've presumably built. Firing larger weapons (RPGs) at your enemy when bullets don't work isn't exactly stupid, and I would say is in fact smart.

[Block]

The only problem I saw was that they seemed to use fire and bullets to fight the things, wouldn't aliens that can suck the power out of powerlines basically absord that kind of energy too?

We see the protagonist group fucking about with some RPGs and then an anti-alien gun they've presumably built. Firing larger weapons (RPGs) at your enemy when bullets don't work isn't exactly stupid, and I would say is in fact smart.

Oh I didn't say it was stupid, you have to try something, can't just sit there and get absorbed or whatever. I won't be seeing it just because the trailer hasn't really grabbed me as being particularly interesting, not because I have some objection to the science or the intelligence of the protagonists. Though party-goers is a rather unoriginal group of heros at this point.

[Ahriman238]

The only problem I saw was that they seemed to use fire and bullets to fight the things, wouldn't aliens that can suck the power out of powerlines basically absord that kind of energy too?

We see the protagonist group fucking about with some RPGs and then an anti-alien gun they've presumably built. Firing larger weapons (RPGs) at your enemy when bullets don't work isn't exactly stupid, and I would say is in fact smart.

From what I saw, the RPG didn't look like it was any more effective than the bullets.

[The_Stranger]

From what I saw, the RPG didn't look like it was any more effective than the bullets.

It probably isn't, but that's not really a stupid move. I mean, if a bullet doesn't work against a more conventional foe, it's pretty logical to try it again with a bigger bullet. And the characters in the movie wouldn't know that the RPG is just a setup for "No One Could Survive That".

Anyway, I'm more disappointed in the idea that a plucky group of everyday folk are our apparent heroes, yet again. And this time, it looks like they're building fancy guns out of spare microwave oven parts to battle the aliens. Aren't alien invasions the whole reason why we have governments and armies? Battle:Los Angeles might not have been the best invasion story, but I appreciated that it featured our designated alien-fighting champions: actual soldiers.

[NecronLord]

From what I saw, the RPG didn't look like it was any more effective than the bullets.

Yes, and in 1665, the new scientific method was applied to try and find the cause of the plague in London. This led the city to order all dogs and cats put down, because they had determined that it was somehow connected with contact with animals. Needless to say, the rat population increased.

It was a smart move, given the information they had, they can't be called stupid for it not being the right answer.

Trying a larger explosive similarly may not be any good, and may even backfire tragically, but it's a reasonable attempt.

[NecronLord]

Anyway, I'm more disappointed in the idea that a plucky group of everyday folk are our apparent heroes, yet again. And this time, it looks like they're building fancy guns out of spare microwave oven parts to battle the aliens. Aren't alien invasions the whole reason why we have governments and armies? Battle:Los Angeles might not have been the best invasion story, but I appreciated that it featured our designated alien-fighting champions: actual soldiers.

Sorry, if aliens with any serious capability attack, it's entirely reasonable to imagine that all actual armies will be gone in a short time except gurellia armies. Battle LA had the aliens be giant flaming retards and not just attack the military first from orbit.

[Ahriman238]

From what I saw, the RPG didn't look like it was any more effective than the bullets.

Yes, and in 1665, the new scientific method was applied to try and find the cause of the plague in London. This led the city to order all dogs and cats put down, because they had determined that it was somehow connected with contact with animals. Needless to say, the rat population increased.

It was a smart move, given the information they had, they can't be called stupid for it not being the right answer.

Trying a larger explosive similarly may not be any good, and may even backfire tragically, but it's a reasonable attempt.

I completly agree, it's only logical to try heavier existing weapons before trying to invent a microwave-gun. If you have a brute force solution at hand in a life-or-death struggle, you should try that before coming up with a clever plan to finesse the enemy to death.

I merely point out that it didn't work. And the attempt probably cost one of the survivors his life.

[The_Stranger]

Sorry, if aliens with any serious capability attack, it's entirely reasonable to imagine that all actual armies will be gone in a short time except gurellia armies. Battle LA had the aliens be giant flaming retards and not just attack the military first from orbit.

In just about any story where the aliens don't immediately win they've got to be pretty damn stupid, or up to some weird stuff. All the same, I find I prefer these sort of stories when the survivors are or include a number of people with military training. B:LA had actual soldiers which did sorta become a guerrilla force, Falling Skies has soldiers and former soldiers well represented among their cast. I guess it just seems more plausible to me that, when aliens start shooting, people who are trained to keep their heads down will be the significant players in any survival tale that follows.

[dragon]

not a necro was still on first page
So has anyone seen it yet and if so was as bad as it looked.

[jollyreaper]

If like the movie to be good but you know the odds are it will suck hard.