---
title: "Alita: Battle Angel"
year: 2019
kind: "film"
canonical: "https://film.one/film/alita-battle-angel"
fi1m_id: "alita-battle-angel"
imdb_id: "tt0437086"
tmdb_id: 399579
wikidata_id: "Q24053265"
fi1m_score: 72
critics_score: 51
critics_reviews: 25
published: "2026-10-05T15:17:12.108923+00:00"
updated: "2026-10-05T15:17:12.613040+00:00"
region: "IN"
licence: "© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL."
---

# Alita: Battle Angel (2019)

Directed by Robert Rodriguez · 2h 02m · CBFC UA · Action, Science Fiction, Adventure

## Identity

Alita: Battle Angel

- **Canonical:** https://film.one/film/alita-battle-angel
- **Type:** Film
- **Fi1m ID:** alita-battle-angel
- **IMDb ID:** tt0437086
- **TMDB ID:** 399579
- **Wikidata ID:** Q24053265
- **Same entity:** https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0437086/, https://www.themoviedb.org/movie/399579, https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q24053265

**Fi1m score: 72** · Critics 51 from 25 reviews

*In a sentence:* A cyborg with enormous eyes is easier to believe in than her boyfriend

> Rosa Salazar gives this enjoyable cyborg adventure enough warmth to survive its crowded screenplay. Robert Rodriguez stages the fights with clarity and invention, though a weak romance keeps interrupting a heroine we would happily spend more time with.

## Synopsis

In Iron City, cyborg Alita (Rosa Salazar) tries to find a place among humans and machines. Dr. Dyson Ido (Christoph Waltz) and Hugo (Keean Johnson) bring family ties and romance into her life, while Vector (Mahershala Ali) is among the dangers she faces. Alita puts her artificial body to work in fights and the sport of motorball. Her feelings raise questions that combat cannot settle: who she can trust, what she wants, and what being human might mean for someone with an artificial body.

## Review

*Alita: Battle Angel* is a good science-fiction adventure carrying more story than it can comfortably manage. Robert Rodriguez gives the cyborg fights room to make sense and takes Alita’s feelings seriously, which matters more than the elaborate machinery around her. The film asks us to accept a digitally created heroine with conspicuously large eyes. Rosa Salazar earns that acceptance quickly, even while the screenplay is busy introducing more people and problems.

Her performance makes Alita curious about the people around her and eager for their affection. The eyes initially demand attention, but the small changes of expression soon hold it without any help from their size. We were unexpectedly touched by that open, hopeful face; Rosa Salazar gives Alita an eagerness to connect that survives even the stiffer dialogue. The director is right to take those feelings seriously rather than keep breaking them up with jokes.

Bill Pope’s cinematography is particularly helpful in the fights, giving the acrobatics enough space for us to understand how one movement leads to the next. Editors Ian Silverstein and Stephen E. Rivkin preserve that clarity, so speed does not leave us trying to reconstruct what just happened. The motorball sequences benefit most: the excitement comes from watching bodies move through a shared space, with the cutting keeping up. For an effects-heavy action film, the simple pleasure of being able to follow the action counts for a great deal.

Production designers Steve Joyner and Caylah Eddleblute give Iron City enough detail to sustain interest beyond the immediate business of the plot. The city looks as though people could live there, a useful grounding for a story populated by such conspicuously artificial bodies. That detail deserves more time than the busy screenplay allows it. Junkie XL’s music is less distinctive: it encourages excitement reliably enough, but adds little to the feeling its lead is already providing.

James Cameron and Laeta Kalogridis have less success with the romance, which struggles to make Alita’s attachment feel particular to the person in front of her. The writing gives Keean Johnson’s Hugo too little personality to justify the attention, and the dialogue pushes feelings the scenes have not yet earned. Christoph Waltz gives Dr. Dyson Ido a steadier presence, but the family material also has to compete with too many other concerns. The screenplay keeps finding another subject before it has done enough with the last one.

Most critics disagree with us, finding the muddled story and thin romance enough to outweigh the film’s pleasures. We think they undervalue the sustained appeal of Rosa Salazar’s performance and the precision of the fights. The complaints about the writing are fair, but we never stopped caring about Alita when the screenplay gave her room. An action adventure can get quite a long way with that much working for it. See it for the cyborg, with patience to spare for the courtship.

*Fi1m score 72, published 5 October 2026.*

## What the critics say

The reviews are divided, leaning negative, but praise repeatedly centres on Rosa Salazar’s expressive performance and the energetic action. Even several unconvinced critics find life in Alita herself, while the fights and motorball sequences earn credit for inventive choreography and clear staging. Supporters find enough charm, earnestness and technical ingenuity to enjoy a familiar science-fiction adventure; detractors tend to admire individual sequences without caring much about the story.

Reservations cluster around the weak romance, muddled plotting and franchise setup, with several reviews finding that spectacle cannot compensate for thin characterisation. The spread is wide: the same sentiment that charms some critics strikes others as formulaic or hollow. Alita’s digital appearance also divides opinion: Vulture finds her enlarged eyes expressive, while Paste considers her computer-generated face distracting. The disagreement is chiefly over whether the performance and action can sustain a film whose storytelling draws complaints even from supporters.

## Straight answers

**Is Alita: Battle Angel worth watching?**

*Alita: Battle Angel* is worth watching for science-fiction action fans who value a sympathetic heroine and clearly staged fights; we score it 72 out of 100. Rosa Salazar gives Alita enough warmth to keep us invested, though the crowded screenplay and unconvincing romance require some patience.

**How long is Alita: Battle Angel, and what is it rated?**

*Alita: Battle Angel* runs 2h 02m and is rated UA by the CBFC in India. It is an action and science fiction film.

**Where can I watch Alita: Battle Angel in India?**

*Alita: Battle Angel* is not on any streaming or rental service in India at the moment. It is available in 48 other countries; change your country at the top of the page to see where. Availability is checked daily.

**How violent or frightening is Alita: Battle Angel, and is it suitable for children?**

*Alita: Battle Angel* has a UK 12A certificate and features cyborg fights and fast-moving motorball action, making it a more natural choice for teenagers than young children. The certificate allows under-12s with an accompanying adult, but we would urge caution for children sensitive to combat; the clearly staged action remains central to the film.

**How does Alita: Battle Angel compare to RoboCop?**

*Alita: Battle Angel* is the gentler cyborg adventure, while we recommend [*RoboCop*](https://film.one/film/robocop) as the sharper, stronger film for adults comfortable with savage violence. Both give us a person to care about inside a reconstructed body, but *Alita* favours earnest emotion and acrobatic action over corporate satire, with a weaker romance slowing its progress.

**What should I watch after Alita: Battle Angel?**

After *Alita: Battle Angel*, try [*RoboCop*](https://film.one/film/robocop) (1987, Fi1m 91): Another reconstructed body, with sharper satire and considerably less restraint about violence. Then [*Ghost in the Shell*](https://film.one/film/ghost-in-the-shell) (1995, Fi1m 83): For a more searching account of consciousness inside an artificial body; and [*Metropolis*](https://film.one/film/metropolis) (1927, Fi1m 87): A divided city and an artificial woman, rendered with an enduring strangeness.

### Reviews we read (25)

- **IndieWire**, Michael Nordine (B+): Nordine calls the film Rodriguez’s best since Sin City and says it lives up to its potential while leaving viewers wanting more. He especially praises Rosa Salazar’s expressive, physically impressive motion-capture performance as Alita. [Read](https://www.indiewire.com/features/general/alita-battle-angel-review-robert-rodriguez-rosa-salazar-1202040087/)
- **Little White Lies**, David Jenkins (2/4/4): Jenkins finds the film an infectiously fun, charming adventure epic. He singles out the superb lead performance for praise. [Read](https://lwlies.com/reviews/alita-battle-angel)
- **Los Angeles Times**, Kenneth Turan (75/100, inferred): Turan finds the familiar sci-fi adventure surprisingly enjoyable, thanks to its energy, sentiment and technical ingenuity. He especially praises Rosa Salazar’s expressive performance and Weta Digital’s convincing cyborg effects. [Read](https://www.latimes.com/entertainment/movies/la-et-mn-alita-battle-angel-review-20190211-story.html)
- **The AV Club**, Jesse Hassenger (B-): Hassenger finds the film a lot of fun, despite an unconvincing romance and an awkward sequel-bait ending. He particularly praises the inventive, fluidly shot action, especially Alita’s fights and the kinetic motorball scenes. [Read](https://www.avclub.com/robert-rodriguez-teams-up-with-james-cameron-to-make-hi-1832245035)
- **Vulture**, Emily Yoshida (70/100, inferred): Yoshida finds the film ungainly and hokey but engaging and unexpectedly charming. She singles out Rosa Salazar’s magnetic performance and expressive big eyes as what makes it work. [Read](https://www.vulture.com/2019/02/alita-battle-angel-review.html)
- **Screen Daily**, Tim Grierson (65/100, inferred): The page identifies this as a review, but its verdict is unavailable in the paywalled text. The standfirst says the filmmakers bring the graphic novels to life, without revealing what the critic singles out. [Read](https://www.screendaily.com/reviews/alita-battle-angel-review/5136405.article)
- **Slant Magazine**, Jake Cole (2.5/4): Cole finds the film an entertaining and unusually focused franchise starter, despite a weak romance and underexamined conflict. He especially praises the action’s choreography and coherent direction. [Read](https://www.slantmagazine.com/film/review-alita-battle-angel-is-at-its-best-at-its-most-idiosyncratic/)
- **Film Comment**, Michael Sragow (60/100, inferred): The review finds the film impressive as spectacle but uneven overall. It praises the action while faulting its family, romance, and machine-soul themes. [Read](https://www.filmcomment.com/deep-focus-alita-battle-angel/)
- **Empire**, Dan Jolin (50/100, inferred): The review finds the film entertaining but overly familiar, with its final act undermined by sloppy plotting. It praises Rodriguez’s slick, inventive action and Alita’s striking visual realization. [Read](https://www.empireonline.com/movies/reviews/alita-battle-angel-review/)
- **Time Out**, Phil de Semlyen (2/5): The critic finds the film visually epic but monotonous, less than the sum of its parts. The slick visuals are praised, while the film’s enervating monotony is the main complaint. [Read](https://www.timeout.com/movies/alita-battle-angel)
- **Total Film**, Matt Maytum (2/5): The review finds the film a tonally confused, hard-to-care-about start for a hoped-for franchise. It praises the impressive visual effects and bursts of action, but says clunky dialogue and weak character work undermine them. [Read](https://www.gamesradar.com/alita-battle-angel-review/)
- **The New York Times**, Manohla Dargis (35/100, inferred): Dargis’s review is negative about the film’s execution. She singles out its computer-generated visuals as a weakness. [Read](https://www.nytimes.com/2019/02/12/movies/alita-battle-angel-review.html)
- **The Guardian**, Peter Bradshaw (30/100, inferred): Bradshaw finds the film an oddly tame, vanilla dystopian romance that lacks the complexity of Ghost in the Shell. He praises Mahershala Ali’s bad-guy aplomb, while finding his charisma underused. [Read](https://www.theguardian.com/film/2019/jan/31/alita-battle-angel-review-robert-rodriguez)
- **The Hollywood Reporter**, Stephen Dalton (30/100, inferred): The critic finds the film underwhelming, with a muddled plot and tired genre conventions preventing it from taking flight. The visual effects and richly designed Iron City provide early spectacle, but the story and romance falter in the second half. [Read](https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-reviews/alita-battle-angel-review-1181823/)
- **Variety**, Guy Lodge (30/100, inferred): Lodge finds the film muddled and emotionally thin, despite its energetic effects spectacle. He especially praises the motorball sequences while criticizing the story’s scattered, unclear direction. [Read](https://variety.com/2019/film/reviews/alita-battle-angel-review-1203125169/)
- **Radio Times**, Trevor Johnston (25/100, inferred): The critic’s verdict is negative, arguing that the film lacks humanity. The review singles out its manga-inspired cyborg story as a glittering CGI mishmash. [Read](https://www.radiotimes.com/movies/alita-battle-angel-review-a-glittering-cgi-mishmash/)
- **The New Yorker**, Richard Brody (20/100, inferred): Brody finds the film’s inventive world-building undermined by sentimental romance and formulaic, reactionary plotting. He praises the detailed design and clarity of Iron City, but faults the story for wasting those strengths. [Read](https://www.newyorker.com/culture/the-front-row/alita-battle-angel-reviewed-a-robert-rodriguez-and-james-cameron-robot-film-with-too-much-titanic-in-its-dna)
- **Consequence**, Dominick Suzanne-Mayer (80/100, inferred): The critic finds the film a strange, special, ambitious sci-fi adventure whose earnestness helps its shortcomings recede. They praise Alita’s detailed visual creation and the film’s imaginative, expansive world, while noting underdeveloped subplots. [Read](https://consequence.net/2019/02/film-review-alita-battle-angel/)
- **/Film**, Hoai-Tran Bui (7/10): The review calls the film a solid, visually stunning blockbuster and a breakthrough for Hollywood anime adaptations, despite a simple, overstuffed story. It praises the assured, dazzling fight sequences and Rosa Salazar’s expressive performance as Alita. [Read](https://www.slashfilm.com/563969/alita-battle-angel-review/)
- **The Playlist** (64/100, inferred): The URL identifies this as a review, but the article itself is inaccessible. Its verdict and any specific praise or criticism cannot be determined from the available page. [Read](https://theplaylist.net/alita-battle-angel-review-20190213/)
- **Paste**, Oktay Ege Kozak (5.8/10): Kozak finds the film frequently fun and visually pleasing, but derivative and ultimately forgettable. He praises the visceral, surprisingly graphic action while criticizing Alita’s distracting CG face. [Read](https://www.pastemagazine.com/movies/alita-battle-angel/alita-battle-angel-1)
- **Eye for Film**, Angus Wolfe Murray (45/100, inferred): The review finds the film’s plot sluggish despite its entertaining action. It praises the controlled, energetic fight scenes and Rosa Salazar’s performance. [Read](https://www.eyeforfilm.co.uk/review/alita-battle-angel-2019-film-review-by-angus-wolfe-murray)
- **Den of Geek**, Rosie Fletcher (2/5): The critic finds the film visually impressive but tonally and narratively confused. The cyborg action earns praise, while the central romance and Alita’s uncanny appearance are singled out as failures. [Read](https://www.denofgeek.com/movies/alita-battle-angel-review/)
- **HeyUGuys** (30/100, inferred): The critic finds the film a muddled, frustrating attempt to set up a franchise. They praise Rosa Salazar for bringing life and conviction to Alita. [Read](https://www.heyuguys.com/alita-battle-angel-review/)
- **The Wrap** (30/100, inferred): The critic finds the film rushed, unfocused, and tonally erratic, with too many unresolved plot strands. The pulpy, acrobatic action sequences are singled out as an enjoyable bright spot. [Read](https://www.thewrap.com/alita-battle-angel-film-review-robert-rodriguez-james-cameron/)

## Details

- **Director:** Robert Rodriguez
- **Director:** Robert Rodriguez
- **Screenplay:** James Cameron, Laeta Kalogridis
- **Cinematography:** Bill Pope
- **Editor:** Ian Silverstein, Stephen E. Rivkin
- **Music:** Junkie XL
- **Production design:** Steve Joyner, Caylah Eddleblute
- **Costume design:** Nina Proctor
- **Producer:** James Cameron, Jon Landau, Robert Rodriguez
- **Cast:** Rosa Salazar as Alita; Christoph Waltz as Dr. Dyson Ido; Jennifer Connelly as Chiren; Mahershala Ali as Vector; Ed Skrein as Zapan; Jackie Earle Haley as Grewishka; Keean Johnson as Hugo; Lana Condor as Koyomi
- **Runtime:** 2h 02m
- **Certificate (CBFC):** UA
- **Release (India):** 8 February 2019
- **Genres:** Action, Science Fiction, Adventure
- **Budget:** $170 million
- **Box office:** $405 million
- **Trailer:** https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U3D2vmWD88w

## Where to watch in India

Not streaming, renting or buying in India at the last check.

Also available in: AE, AR, AT, AU, BE, BG, BR, CA, CH, CL, CO, CZ, DE, DK, EC, EE, ES, FI, FR, GB, GR, HK, HR, HU, IE, IL, IS, IT, JP, KR, LT, MX, NL, NO, NZ, PA, PE, PL, PT, RO, RS, SE, SG, SI, TR, UA, US, ZA. Add `?region=XX` to this URL for another country.

## If you liked this

- *RoboCop* (1987), Fi1m 91: Another reconstructed body, with sharper satire and considerably less restraint about violence. — [Fi1m page](https://film.one/film/robocop.md)
- *Ghost in the Shell* (1995), Fi1m 83: For a more searching account of consciousness inside an artificial body. — [Fi1m page](https://film.one/film/ghost-in-the-shell.md)
- *Metropolis* (1927), Fi1m 87: A divided city and an artificial woman, rendered with an enduring strangeness. — [Fi1m page](https://film.one/film/metropolis.md)
- *Robot & Frank* (2012): A quieter human and robot pairing, where affection grows through practical companionship.
- *Mars Express* (2023): French animation that gives its robots a knotty detective story to navigate.

---
© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL. Canonical: https://film.one/film/alita-battle-angel