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You just mentioned that all of the actors went through a Marine boot camp. Can you elaborate on how that process was?

AE: Yeah, we filmed in Louisiana, because it was too expensive to film in Los Angeles. So in the middle of summer we went to Louisiana for three weeks of boot camp, which was intense training with the Marines, retired Colonels and Staff Sergeants. They just took us through it. We all had our ranks so we ate in rank, we trained in rank, we showered in rank, we did our bunks, everything was uniform. We went out there everyday. We learned our weapons – M16 rifles, .55 calibers; we learned how to take a room, all this sort of stuff. We did it basically 12 hours a day, all in gear, and that helped us a lot. We really got to know each other, what we liked about our characters and each other. We got to know what kind of music we liked and jokes. So in the movie, we really didn’t have to act, because we just knew each other so easily that we could improvise.

How is this movie different from other alien invasion films?

AE: This movie is a war movie, really. It’s a war movie that happens to be fighting a foe from outer space. Although the movie is based around aliens and all that sort of stuff, it is really about the Marines trying to bond together and survive. It’s filmed in a documentary style so it looks real a la Black Hawk Down. It’s very down and gritty, like we haven’t seen before. So it has a few elements that are different. It’s a really kickass, entertaining film, and it also has a lot of heart in it too.

So would you say that it is a war movie and the enemy just happens to be unearthly?

AE: To be honest, it really is just like a war movie and it happens to be aliens. Now, I think it is a little bit more than that. The aliens are so beautifully done and such a force in the movie. I think they did just a wonderful job with them. But it does involve such a gritty documentary style of filmmaking you really feel you are grounded here in Santa Monica and you could be fighting aliens.

How are the aliens different from the creatures we’ve encountered in other films?

AE: I don’t know too much (laughs). Well, they have very human characteristics and they think like humans. They are not otherworldly. They are in their appearance, but in terms of their mentality and psychology, they are very human which is interesting, because they become an equal force with our forces and it is an equal struggle. I think they are unlike anything you have seen in the movies before.

Has this film led you to have an opinion on the military?

AE: Absolutely. I’ve always had a high regard to soldiers and armed forces. I recently went on a USO tour to Afghanistan. I’ve met a lot of Marines and Army, and they are good kids and good men and women. I certainly can empathize with their situation. One thing I learned about them mostly is that they are fighting for what they believe in, but also for each other. That’s one thing about this movie we try to embrace. You’re out there, you’re alone, you have to rely on each other and trust each and live or die with each other. I think this film is very respectful of the Marines. We had their cooperation. We had all of their toys and I hope that when the Marines or soldiers see this movie that they will feel that we treated it with respect and accuracy.

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