Cowboys & Aliens

Honestly, I don't know why this genre mash up is getting ripped apart so badly? Oh wait, maybe it's because it's really different, and original. I will say, I have waited a year for this film, and it finally came, and I am happy. What my question is, what's not to like? Harrison Ford back in the Action role? Daniel Craig with a 6 shooter? Aliens? All of the above are great reasons to go watch C&A. It starts off like all the trailers we have seen. Jake Lonergan (Craig) wakes up near nowhere, with no memory of who he is, or why that "iron" is on his wrist. When he gets to the nearest town of Absolution, things get harry. He messes with the wrong guy, and ends up shackled for a different crime he can't remember committing. This film starts off perfectly. Character development is done well, but the "Western" part of the film is awesome. It is done so well, we feel we are there to see a western, but without wait, the aliens show up and attack. The writing is great in the fact that, the Internet does not exist in 1865, nor does Stephen Hawking, so space and time and other beings are unknown. The alien vessels fly in at high speeds destroying everything while taking prisoners. For what? That is where the film heads. Harrison Ford plays "The Colonel", who is a hard nosed battle hardened man. He is rough and tough and played to perfection. To say that he and Lonergan don't like each other would not do it justice. We are teased a little bit with the aliens themselves, but not long enough to piss us off. The next order of business is figuring out what they want and how to get their people back. Lonergan is the biggest hope, since the wrist accessory he wears is the only weapon they have that will bring them down. There are definite resemblances to ID4, and the Indiana Jones tribute is classic. See if you catch it. I don't think it was unintentional at all. All the people involved in the end is outstanding. Favreau does a great job of making a Sci-Fi western. He also does a superb job of flashing back when we, the audience, and Lonergan are all seeing what he is beginning to remember. A couple of sub plots are welcomed to enhance the story, and 1 very good twist helps with development. When the aliens are not on screen or the focus of the Cowboys, the western aspect is so fun to watch. One thing I did not expect was to see the aliens as much as we did. It was awesome. The last 20 minutes was a wild rush of action, that just kept going. A-Bomb kept looking at me asking how critics could hate it. A-Bomb, The AP, and myself all loved the film, but reviews have been mixed. Critics hate it, but 70% of users like it. I think it is a good big screen movie. I welcome the change, and originality, and I hope this can open the minds of writers to think outside the box. Daniel Craig just solidifies himself even more as one of the Elite actors working today. He is British, but he played an American Cowboy as good as Harrison Ford. This was my most anticipated movie of the summer, and when asked why, I responded, "I will be glad to see Harrison in another action role that is not Indy. As much as I love Indy, this should be great for him." It was. If you have ever thought, you may possibly think you would like to see this, then go see it. The trailers did it justice, and Favreau delivers again. Overall, it is a great western with Aliens, or a great Sci Fi adventure with Cowboys. Either way, well done.

NBM rates Cowboys and Aliens - Phenomenal