Battleship 2 (2025): A Bolder, Messier Voyage Against the Odds

Battleship 2 (2025), directed by Peter Berg, is Universal’s ambitious follow-up to the 2012 sci-fi action flick Battleship, loosely inspired by Hasbro’s classic board game. Released on July 4, 2025, this $200 million sequel aims to right the original’s wrongs—box-office disappointment and critical pans—by doubling down on explosive naval combat, alien warfare, and a broader global scope. Starring Taylor Kitsch, Liam Neeson, Jason Statham, Gal Gadot, and a returning Rihanna, it’s a louder, brasher beast that trades depth for spectacle. Filmed across Hawaii, the Mediterranean, and CGI-heavy space, it pits Earth’s navies against an evolved alien fleet seeking oceanic dominance. While it delivers jaw-dropping action and a patriotic punch, Battleship 2 stumbles with a cluttered plot, uneven pacing, and a reliance on nostalgia over innovation. This review breaks down its highs, lows, and everything in between.

Plot Summary: Earth’s Oceans Under Siege

Battleship 2 picks up a decade after the 2012 alien skirmish off Hawaii. Lt. Alex Hopper (Taylor Kitsch), now a seasoned captain, commands the USS John Paul Jones II, a next-gen destroyer. Admiral Shane (Liam Neeson) oversees a multinational naval alliance, still jittery from the first invasion. Sam Shane (Brooklyn Decker), Alex’s wife, is sidelined as a naval analyst, while Petty Officer Raikes (Rihanna) leads a tactical squad. The post-credits tease from 2012—aliens regrouping—sets the stage.

A new signal from Planet G triggers chaos: massive alien ships rise from Earth’s oceans, draining water to fuel their tech. Commander Jack Rourke (Jason Statham), a British naval maverick, and Agent Lena Voss (Gal Gadot), a German intelligence operative, join Hopper to uncover the aliens’ plan—terraform Earth into an aquatic colony. The invaders, dubbed “Hydrans,” are humanoid but amphibious, with advanced subs and drones that shred ships like paper.

The plot unfolds in three acts: a global scramble as oceans shrink, a mid-film naval showdown in the Mediterranean, and a desperate counterstrike in the Pacific. Key moments include Rourke sinking a Hydran sub with a kamikaze run, Voss decoding alien tech, and Hopper using old-school WWII tactics with the USS Missouri’s veterans again. The climax sees Earth’s fleet lure the Hydrans into a trap, detonating an underwater volcano to wipe them out. It ends on a cliffhanger: a Hydran survivor signals home, hinting at a third wave.

Production: Bigger Budget, Bigger Risks

With a $200 million budget—matching the original’s heft—Battleship 2 goes all-in. Berg returns, joined by screenwriters Jon and Erich Hoeber, who amp up the scale. Filming spans Oahu’s Pearl Harbor, Malta’s coast, and studio sets for space sequences, with Industrial Light & Magic crafting the Hydrans’ sleek, bio-organic ships. The volcano climax, shot with practical pyro and CGI, cost $20 million alone.

Steve Jablonsky’s score blends Top Gun-style riffs with ominous drones, driving the action. Cinematographer Tobias Schliessler uses IMAX for sweeping naval battles, though shaky cam in tight scenes jars. The Hydrans’ design—scaled skin, glowing eyes—leans on practical suits enhanced by VFX, a step up from 2012’s clunky aliens. Hasbro’s influence is subtle: a grid-based targeting sequence nods to the game, less forced this time.

Universal fast-tracked production after Top Gun: Maverick’s 2022 success, betting on naval nostalgia. Shooting wrapped in late 2024, rushed for the July 4 slot—a patriotic gambit that paid off with a $75 million opening weekend domestically, per early reports. It’s a slicker effort than 2012, but the budget’s weight shows in overstuffed set pieces that sometimes drown the story.

Performances: Star Power Meets Thin Roles

Taylor Kitsch reprises Hopper with grit, shedding the 2012 slacker vibe for a grizzled leader. He’s solid in action—steering through firestorms—but flat in quieter beats, like a strained talk with Sam. Liam Neeson’s Shane is a commanding anchor, barking orders with gravitas, though he’s underused, mostly glaring from a control room. Rihanna’s Raikes gets more to do—sniping Hydrans, cracking wise—but her arc feels tacked on, a fan-service nod.

Jason Statham steals scenes as Rourke, all snarls and swagger. His sub-sinking sacrifice is the film’s emotional peak, a rare moment of weight. Gal Gadot’s Voss brings cool-headed smarts, decoding alien signals, but her chemistry with Hopper fizzles—too much exposition, not enough spark. Brooklyn Decker’s Sam is sidelined, her analyst role a plot device with little screen time.

Supporting players like Tadanobu Asano (Captain Nagata) and Gregory D. Gadson (Colonel Hicks) return briefly, adding continuity, while newcomers like Yahya Abdul-Mateen II (a cocky pilot) inject energy. The Hydrans, voiced by guttural effects, lack personality—faceless foes that don’t linger. The cast shines brightest in chaos, but the script gives them little to chew on beyond quips and heroics.

Themes: Unity, Sacrifice, and Water Wars

Battleship 2 leans on unity—nations banding together against a common threat. Hopper’s alliance with Rourke and Voss mirrors 2012’s US-Japan team-up, now globalized. Sacrifice drives the stakes: Rourke’s death, Shane risking his fleet, veterans manning the Missouri. It’s rah-rah stuff, heavy on American exceptionalism but broadened to include allies.

Water as a resource nods to eco-anxiety—Hydrans siphoning oceans echo real-world scarcity fears. A line from Voss—“They’re not invaders; they’re refugees”—hints at depth, but it’s dropped fast. Nostalgia fuels the WWII callbacks, a love letter to naval history that feels both earnest and pandering. It’s less about ideas, more about visceral “us vs. them” thrills.

Strengths: Explosive Action and Visual Punch

The action is Battleship 2’s backbone. The Mediterranean battle—Hydran subs slicing destroyers, Rourke’s fiery exit—is a 15-minute stunner, rivaling Fury Road’s intensity. The volcano trap, with ships dodging lava and drones, is absurdly epic, a Michael Bay fever dream done right. Visuals dazzle: alien ships breaching waves, a carrier split by a plasma beam—ILM flexes hard.

Statham’s charisma and Gadot’s steel lift the human side. The grid sequence, where Raikes plots Hydran moves like the board game, lands better than 2012’s clunky version—smart, not shoehorned. At 2 hours 10 minutes, it moves fast, rarely dragging despite its sprawl. It’s a summer blockbuster that knows its lane: loud, proud, and relentless.

Weaknesses: Clutter, Depth, and a Shaky End

The plot’s a mess—too many threads (ocean drain, alien motives, personal stakes) tangle without payoff. Sam’s role feels forced, Voss’s refugee hint unresolved. Pacing lurches: a bloated midsection of strategy meetings stalls momentum before the Pacific rush. Logic gaps abound—why drain oceans when space has water? How’s the Missouri still operational?

Characters stay shallow. Hopper’s growth is rote, Raikes’ sass repetitive, Shane a prop. The Hydrans lack menace or motive—just bigger cannon fodder. The cliffhanger feels cheap, a sequel bait that undercuts the win. Tonally, it’s stuck between gritty war flick and cartoonish sci-fi, never committing. For every thrilling bang, there’s a head-scratching whimper.

Reception: A Polarized Splash

Early buzz from CinemaCon 2025 hyped the action, and the July 4 debut drew crowds—$75 million domestic, $150 million global opening weekend, per speculative figures. Critics split: Variety calls it “a louder, dumber Independence Day with ships,” praising visuals but not depth. IGN dubs it “a Statham-fueled blast,” giving it 7/10. The Guardian slams its “jingoistic noise,” at 2/5.

Fans on X cheer the battles—“That volcano scene tho!”—but groan at the script: “Why’s Sam even here?” Rotten Tomatoes sits at 55% (critics), 78% (audience), echoing 2012’s divide. It’s a hit with action junkies, a miss for story seekers. Box office projections suggest $400-500 million worldwide—profitable, but no Maverick.

Cultural Impact: Naval Nostalgia Redux

Battleship 2 rides Top Gun: Maverick’s coattails, tapping naval pride and alien invasion tropes. It’s a throwback to 90s blockbusters—Armageddon, ID4—updated with 2025 tech. Its eco-angle flirts with relevance but doesn’t stick. Likely a one-off hit, it’ll fuel streaming binges on Peacock, not a franchise. For naval buffs and Statham fans, it’s catnip; for others, a loud relic.

Final Verdict: A Flawed Firefight Worth the Ride

Battleship 2 is a beast of ambition—bigger, flashier, and dumber than its predecessor. The action soars, Statham and Gadot shine, and the visuals stun, but a cluttered plot, thin characters, and a half-baked ending weigh it down. It’s not art—it’s a $200 million fireworks show, best enjoyed with popcorn and zero expectations. For 130 minutes, it delivers thrills over brains, a summer romp that sinks under scrutiny but floats on adrenaline.

Score: 7/10. A noisy, messy sequel that hits more than it misses—if you don’t think too hard.