Today’s quick review: Battle for Terra. When the last survivors of Earth invade the peaceful planet of Terra, Mala (Evan Rachel Wood) becomes a bridge between worlds when she rescues Jim Stanton (Luke Wilson), a human pilot, from his crashed ship. As General Hemmer (Brian Cox) begins to terraform the planet to make it suitable for humans, killing the Terrians in the process, Mala and Jim race to find a way for both species to coexist.
Battle for Terra is an animated science fiction movie set in a distant future. The movie is built around an interesting moral choice. Trapped in a failing spaceship with a dwindling supply of oxygen, the remaining humans must contemplate wiping out an innocent alien species so they can survive. The movie does a decent job of bringing this conflict to life, but its shallow world-building and mediocre plot mechanics make it a missed opportunity.
Battle for Terra never quite delivers what it promises. The world of Terra features a few interesting ideas, including a fully aerial society, but it is missing the depth and sense of reality seen in other sci-fi. The characters are lukewarm; Mala shows some promise as a heroine, but Jim only has the minimal traits he needs to move the plot along. The movie also misses several opportunities to make the plot more layered and less linear.
Even with these flaws, Battle for Terra conveys the story it is trying to tell. After a slow start and some clumsy maneuvering, the movie finally comes into its own near the end. The moral dilemma at the heart of the movie puts in some good work, and the final battle manages to bring the movie’s ideas together. These are not enough to make Battle for Terra stand out from the competition, but they do give it a niche as a more serious family film.
Battle for Terra gets enough right that it will appeal to some audiences, but many viewers will find it lacking. The aspects of animated films that resonate the most—the imaginative visuals, the sympathetic characters, and the emotional journeys—are all on shaky ground. Battle for Terra may still be worth a watch for those curious in its world and its story, but the average viewer may find its potential better realized elsewhere.
For another animated sci-fi movie that explores similar themes about humanity after the destruction of Earth, try Harlock: Space Pirate or Titan A.E.. For a more comedic animated sci-fi movie about a human landing on an alien planet, try Planet 51.
[6.5 out of 10 on IMDB](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0858486/). I give it a 6.0 for a solid premise with lackluster execution.