Really, aren’t most movies these days derivative or remakes? And with that… why go see them? I enjoyed it because unlike Skyline (I mean… why did they need our brains?!), it didn’t feel completely cliche and derivative even though it might have been. The ships might have looked somewhat like District 9′s, but with all those engines and the sounds of their flight and behavior, they were completely different. The aliens’ arrival was much more dramatic.

I’m still confused as to why so much effort was put into defending Los Angeles of all places. Yeah, it’s coastal and Pendleton and Miramar and Vandenburg are all nearby, but it’s a worthless dive. A scorched earth policy to the San Bernadinos and defending in tactically beneficial terrain makes more sense and what would more likely happen.

Also, Michelle Rodriguez has a very shallow and generally weak acting ability (she always plays a blustery badass and while I like strong women, sometimes there is strength in being vulnerable). In any case, it generally doesn’t add to any movie that she’s in and generally only serves to ruin it because someone decided they need a stereotypical latina badass that doesn’t further plot or anything, but is just there so the affirmative action types don’t get upset. I just don’t like her. Her best role was in Resident Evil… and only because she got capped between the eyes on the train. Her role in this movie could have been filled by a sock puppet. Why didn’t the Marines know the USAF was looking for a CCC just in case their jarheads in the field might see something to report back? And why, if they knew to look for a CCC and were homed in on because of their radio transmissions, did she not figure that out? I thought those sig int types were supposed to be smart and most of ours isn’t done in the field, anyway.

I’ve seen a few pics where folks have tossed on the modern Serpentor helmet from the DDP #16 Joe comic back to make a modern casual Cobra Emperor.

I agree that the gimmick weapons are ultimately throw-aways.