A canvas as large as the American West, with a budget and action set pieces to match.
A director hot off the success of launching an entire comic book movie universe. (Photo: Zade Rosenthal/©Universal Pictures/Courtesy Everett Collection)Īn enormous cast populated by iconic movie stars and beloved character actors. "Cowboys and Aliens" (rated PG-13 PG for intense sequences of western and sci-fi action and violence, some partial nudity and a brief crude reference) is mindless summer fun that delivers far more fun than the bloated "Transformers 3." But I have to confess that I was hoping for more from the talent assembled for the film.Daniel Craig stars in Jon Favreau's Cowboys & Aliens, which celebrates its 10th anniversary this year. "District 9," "Skyline," "Battle LA," and now this have similar design elements moving away from the "ET," big head, big eyed, intelligent aliens. Although it does feel like a new trend in alien design to make them look like insect or mechanical robot bug. But the aliens and their crafts are handled well but again without much imagination. I had flashbacks of that god-awful mechanical spider from the Will Smith "Wild, Wild West" debacle. I have to admit that I was a little worried about the effects after seeing the trailer. It's also nice to see Clancy Brown, Keith Carradine, and Sam Rockwell.ĭaniel Craig and Jon Favreau on the set for "Cowboys and Aliens." Wilde, who will also be seen in "The Change Up" this summer, is appealing. Craig has taken to his action hero status well and is convincingly badass as the man they eventually call Lonergan. Other than that he kind of sleep walks through the film. It's not really bad but it's simply not very clever.įord, who has never been a great actor but has been well cast for certain types of roles, looks grizzled as the Colonel and has a couple good lines. "Cowboys and Aliens" delivers a serviceable but bland script. The screenplay is credited to "Roberto Orci & Alex Kurtzman & Damon Lindelof and Mark Fergus & Hawk Ostby, from a screen story by Fergus & Ostby and Steve Oedekerk." The "&'s" and "and's" are apparently important in the crediting and whenever there are that many cooks preparing the stew there are usually problems. He just barrels ahead missing chances to riff on Sergio Leone's Man with No Name or alien invasion films. There are plenty of opportunities to play off of western or sci-fi genre conventions but Favreau doesn't exploit those chances. But at least Favreau seems to know that's what he's making so there's no pretense of the film being anything else, and Favreau handles it with efficiency if not innovation or inspiration. This is no " District 9" in terms of developing a complex and interesting plot with real interaction between aliens and humans. Characters are thoroughly one-dimensional, the aliens are never really developed beyond being a nuisance, and the plot is very simple and linear. Sure there's a lot of action but it's mostly pursuit and blowing stuff up. But it's a telling title because it de-emphasizes the conflict and instead just throws cowboys, Indians, and aliens together for a genre mash-up. Okay, it's also to play off of the children's game of "cowboys and Indians," and Native Americans make a late appearance to help save the planet. It's "Cowboys AND Aliens" as opposed to a more active and combative "Cowboys VERSUS Aliens." That's because there's not really much conflict in the film. Harrison Ford and Sam Rockwell in "Cowboys and Aliens." Although for how thin the plot is, "Cowboys and Aliens" should have clocked in at a much leaner and meaner run time. The effects are flashy, the cast is fun (Olivia Wilde adds sexy appeal to the film), and for the most part the action keeps moving. Those I know who read the comic said the source material was mediocre at best. It's big and noisy and loaded with mindless action.
Only the mysterious stranger proves able to defeat them as the bracelet on his wrist activates and turns into a weapon. These aliens are stealing local citizens and causing mass destruction. The town lives in fear of the cattle baron but all that's about to change when aliens - the kind from outer space and not just across the border - invade. He arrives in the town of Absolution, a cattle town run by Colonel Dolarhyde (Harrison Ford).
Whoever he is, he knows how to kick some ass. But when some wandering hoodlums try to rob him, he responds with efficient and lethal skill. He can recall nothing, not even his name. A man (Daniel Craig) awakes abruptly and finds a strange bracelet/shackle on his wrist. Based on the graphic novel of the same name, " Cowboys & Aliens" opens in the New Mexico Territory of the late 1800s.