The low-budget 2010 hit Monsters saw people fleeing for their lives from the eponymous killer creatures.

The latter are again in impressive multi-tentacled form here but despite slick special effects, sadly they’ve been reduced to mere supporting characters.

A hackneyed war film, decorated with largely irrelevant sci-fi creatures, it follows the adventures of new army recruits looking forward to active service after escaping gloomy civilian lives in Detroit.

But the story sags well before the recruits reach the war zone where their mission is to seek out insurgents, rescue missing soldiers and, where required, “take down” any passing monsters.

Desert locations are appropriately realistic realistic but otherwise cliches abound. Avoid.