Expect bottom-tier CGI and a plot that many viewers find disjointed or nonsensical. Summary Table Battlefield Earth (2000) Alien: Battlefield Earth (2021) Budget $44–73 Million (Huge) Extremely Low (Indie) Star Power John Travolta, Forest Whitaker Unknown Indie Cast Reputation "So bad it's good" cult classic Often called "unwatchable" Primary Flaw Over-the-top acting & weird angles Stock footage & Zoom-call format
This film is legendary in cinema history—but for all the wrong reasons. Based on a novel by Scientology founder L. Ron Hubbard, it is frequently cited as one of the worst movies ever made .
Depending on what you're looking for, "Alien: Battlefield Earth" likely refers to one of two things: the notoriously panned starring John Travolta, or a 2021 low-budget "mockbuster." 1. Battlefield Earth (2000) Alien: Battlefield Earth
This is a much smaller, independent film directed by Andrew Jones. It is often described as a "mockbuster" —a low-budget movie designed to capitalize on the names of more famous franchises.
This one is widely considered even lower quality than the 2000 version. Reviewers on platforms like Letterboxd point out that a huge portion of the movie consists of recycled stock footage and actors talking over Zoom calls . Expect bottom-tier CGI and a plot that many
It has since become a staple of "bad movie nights." While technically a failure, it’s entertaining if you enjoy laughing at unintentional comedy and bizarre production choices.
“"A million monkeys with a million crayons would be hard-pressed in a million years to create anything as cretinous as Battlefield Earth." — Rita Kempley, The Washington Post” Wikipedia 2. Alien: Battlefield Earth (2021) Ron Hubbard, it is frequently cited as one
Critics and audiences alike slammed it for its ridiculous dialogue , "hammy" overacting by John Travolta, and an aggressive overuse of "Dutch angles" (tilting the camera sideways).