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.

Having seen the trailers, I was really looking forward to this movie. And now that I have seen it, I can honestly say that I wasn't disappointed. However, the concept of cowboys and aliens thrown together into one pot still does seem a bit odd to me.

The story in "Cowboys & Aliens" is pretty easy to follow; Jake Lonergan finds himself without his memory and a pretty neat-looking bracelet around his wrist. Thrown into a desperate fight against a far superior species, Jake, the people of Absolution and the native Americans find themselves in a showdown for supremacy.

I must admit that the story is fairly much on the 'no-brainer' side of the storyboard. This is the type of movie where you can switch off your brain and just run on the adrenaline alone. There is action from the start of the movie and right up to the end of it. The fight scenes were really nice to look at, lots of guns blazing (both archaic and future guns), explosions and in-your-face action scenes.

The movie is making good use of make-up effects and CGI effects. The aliens look awesome, and they look so life-like that it is bordering on being too real. Thumbs way up for the effects team on "Cowboys & Aliens", they sure did a great job.

As for the cast, then I think they got a good group of people together for the movie. And I must say that Daniel Craig (playing Jake Lonergan) is more cut out for something like this, rather than playing James Bond. And it was really good to see Harrison Ford (playing Woodrow Dolarhyde) in this movie. He is in top shape here and putting on a really good performance, both in acting and action scenes.

"Cowboys & Aliens" is a good movie for an evening of mindless action entertainment. If not for the action sequences, then for the effects and CGI. Compared to some of the recent movies that make heavy use of CGI effects, "Cowboys & Aliens" came off as more than just a shallow story trying to stay afloat by effects alone.

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.

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.

It's easy to figure out what Cowboys & Aliens is going to be. I'm not familiar with the comic book that it's based on but the film is definitely what the title has promised us. There are cowboys, then there are aliens. If you are fond to Western movies then you'll be entertained but if you are expecting too much aliens then you might get disappointed. You won't be seeing anything mind blowing in this film. If you want to see Sci-Fi action plus Western Violence then this film is just for you.

Cowboys & Aliens is nothing but to entertain you. The only thing that is unique here is the Western & Sci-Fi collaboration. The film is just your typical Western movie but instead of Indians or some sadistic bandit, the aliens are the antagonist of the film. The aliens are pretty intriguing but we don't see them that much until the third act. It's disappointing if you are expecting too much aliens. The only things we see them do are ride their ships, stab people, shoot with their weapons, & jump scare the audiences. It's also your typical alien invasion film.

At least the action is full of explosions. Jon Favreau sure knows how to make the action scenes exciting no matter how flawed they are. The performances saved most of the film. Daniel Craig's character is actually bland in the script so does Olivia Wilde's, but Craig's performance gives a little more character to the role. I don't know what to say about Olivia Wilde's, she is just hot. Harrison Ford & Sam Rockwell do what they do best. Paul Dano can be both fun to watch and annoying at the same time.

It's easy to recognize that the CGI effects were made by Industrial Light & Magic, since the CGI aliens looks just like any monster from J.J. Abram's films. No doubt, it's good. The score is true to its western themes. The production design is pretty decent enough for a western film.

In the end, Cowboys & Aliens is just another blockbuster released to our cinemas. I don't know if this film is going to be remembered years from now but I think the only purpose of this film is to show its gritty western violence and some sci-fi action. If you're expecting more than the title then you will be disappointed. If you are expecting more aliens than the cowboys then you'll be disappointed. Cowboys are the focus and the aliens end up being the jump scare of the movie. It's not bad nor good though. If you are careless about the story and the character development, & you're just seeking for some sheer action and huge explosions then I can recommended this. But not quite.