Cowboys & Aliens

I put off watching this movie for some time, for the simple reason - it sounded like a slightly spoof or comedy sci-fi/western due to the name. In fact this is nothing of the sort (thankfully) and is actually a very decent shot at combining typical western fare with an alien element. From the first (quite violent)and bloody fist fight you'll realise this isn't silly kids stuff. Too often these days, a movie like this would have been dumbed down and littered with comedic or slapstick scenes. The story such as it is, is basic, but believable. The way the movie plays, at no point do you question the believability of having cowboys fighting aliens with their obviously superior technology. It was something that concerned me before watching but it works out right and makes sense. No issues with any of the acting, or the effects. Overall a decent effort, worth watching especially for sci-fi fans.

I greatly appreciate the ambition of what this movie wanted to be. A mix of two genres that couldn't be more different makes for a rare unpredictability that carries throughout the movie. On that front, the movie shines with a stellar cast and the character depth your expect to find in a classic western. The circumstantial melding of enemies really carries the film.

The wasted potential comes in the form of an unimaginative, mindless monster alien race that doesn't match the depth of the western characters, instead acting as little more than a plot device. I can see why it wanted to avoid becoming too silly, but I feel like there was more middle ground to lean into the absurdity of the premise without sacrificing the tone. The elements are there to make it work, but Favreau chose to play it safe with monsters. I respect that, but I found myself wanting it to realize its potential for a Woody and Buzz level blending of two worlds.

Would love to see the idea rebooted or expanded. In some ways I feel it's a victim of the time it came out in 2011 right in the upswing of the superhero wave. Parts of the movie, especially the VFX-heavy battle scenes, feel like it's trying to compete with those movies when it could have been something entirely unique.

There's something about the old west that makes you think alien invasion. Sure we've seen plenty of westerns lately ("3:10 to Yuma", "True Grit"), but it's been a while since we've seen a western with aliens. But now, Jon Favreau (Iron Man) brings us "Cowboys and Aliens." First things first: we need some cowboys...

And who better to play these cowboys than Indiana Jones and James Bond. That's right we have Daniel Craig playing Jake Lonergan, a cowboy who wakes up in the middle of nowhere and knows only how to speak and fight. It was almost the same thing we saw in "The Bourne Identity." All he can remember about himself comes to him in memories triggered by familiar places and feelings. Then we have Harrison Ford playing the rich and powerful Woodrow Dolarhyde. From trailers and posters of the movie, I went in the movie thinking these two would be a team from start to finish. What we actually see is Ford's character start as a villain type and evolve from there. He was the most developed character throughout the entire movie and was a lot of fun to watch. Then there was Ella Swenson (Olivia Wilde) who seemed to be a little clichéd as far as strong western women are concerned, but we soon realize that she is quiet different from past westerns. All of the characters (including some of the aliens) are really dynamic. 

The movie is set in Arizona in 1873 and holds strong to the setting for a long time. You get the western feel of it and see all of the classic western elements. There are people fighting in deserts, bars, jail cells...and there was a lot of great violent action. And then the aliens come and you completely forget about the setting. But your okay with it because in the alien scenes, someone/something is getting stabbed or shot in the face. Which brings me to my next point...

The action scenes in this movie were what we should have been seeing ALL SUMMER LONG. If a helicopter is spinning out of control, I don't want to see someone imagine a roller-coaster that guides it to the ground gently (that's right Green Lantern, cut the crap). In the same way, if aliens come and invade a town and abduct most of the peoples' family members, I want those cowboys to hunt them down and find new and creative ways to make their body parts disappear. And "Cowboys and Aliens" did a really good job with that. I would say that it had a few of the best action scenes I've seen all year. 

So "Cowboys and Aliens" was a really fun movie. Not the kind that makes you think really, or even one many people could relate to, but it was still fun in that it was gory when it needed to be, it was funny when it needed to be, and it was even emotional when it needed to be. It was just a really great summer action movie (which is apparently where Jon Favreau thrives). It was a great western with great sci-fi. And really, how many other movies can say that?

Cowboys & Aliens is a testament to how quickly the medium of cinema shifts because this would never be made now. A genre bending blockbuster that's unlike anything else even if it's still based on existing IP. It doesn't entirely cohere and is way more self serious than you'd expect this concept to be but the collision of a western and science fiction keeps it entertaining.

Daniel Craig was born to play a man with no name. The strong silent type is a natural fit for him and considering the overly serious tone, his performance makes for the ideal lead. As a gruff rancher with a heart of gold, Harrison Ford is also playing squarely to his strengths and Olivia Wilde does her best with the weakest character who the script completely mishandled.

Jon Favreau's direction struggles with the logistics of staging action involving cowboys, aliens and spaceships but he's really good at using the cinematic language of the western. In that first half hour, the film commits wholeheartedly to being a stereotypical western which makes the hard pivot into sci-fi (and a pretty nasty one at that) all the more effective.

Its 1873; New Mexico Territory; an  Outlaw and a Cattle Rancher must put aside their differences to stop Alien invaders hellbent on experimenting on humans and stripping the land of its gold.

There's something kooky about the title Cowboys and Aliens, B-movie-ish, yet, exciting, enticing and genius. However, even with the star talents including Daniel Craig and Harrison Ford, with the striking Olivia Wilde and excellent Sam Rockwell Cowboys and Aliens still falls short of expectations. The script is bland, every effort has gone into developing the two main leads but at a cost of the rest of the characters, the basic story and plot.  

The special and practical effects are well integrated and executed but while fantastic they are nothing that hasn't been seen before, reminiscent of District 9, Independence Day to name a few. Considering director's Jon Favreau fun and exciting Iron-man outings this offering is less satisfying. It's not the mishmash of classic genres that's the problem, it's the lazy, predicable story telling. 

The films opening is strong and intriguing, building up to the tension of Ford's character Colonel Woodrow Dolarhyde meeting with Craig's Jake; its Jones meets Bond, perfect. Both are excellent giving weight to the proceedings. Horses are flipped, guns and gauntlets go wild, aliens leap and stomp on cowboys. But after the first few alien attacks the film wavers onto familiar territory. Although it has a fabulous cast beneath its hat and sweeping, breathtaking Western landscapes under it's belt - it buckles under it's own weight. 

Even with its somewhat serious tone it's not brave enough to explore or commit to its own themes leaving it underdeveloped. But it also omits much needed fun leaving the whole film unseasoned and as empty as the plains of Arizona. Debatably, flop Wild Wild West (1999) infused the sci-fi and Western genre more successfully. 

Cowboys and Aliens is entertaining, it looks good, has a superb cast but it's painfully predictable and just not that great.