How many times can I say that I am going to see a movie with
the Indiana Jones, James Bond, and very sexy 13 from the sitcom House mixing two
great genres of western with Sci-fi? I
would only imagine an action packed film full of entertainment. Does it meet my expectations or does if fall
short.
Going into this film, I really didn’t go into it with a lot
of expectations because of the title “Cowboy’s and Aliens.” I knew it isn’t going to be an Oscar winner,
but I did know that I expect that it should be fun from beginning to the
credits…and that is just what it did.
Directed by John Favreau, who himself became famous as an
actor alongside Vince Vaughn in Swingers, and breaking out on his own by
directing Iron Man, and establishing how comic book movies are being
filmed. Favreau takes a screenplay that
is adapted from a graphic novel, portrays a cowboy played by Daniel Craig who
wakes up in the middle of a desert in the Midwest. He has no clue where he is or who he is and
has a rare metal bracelet on his wrist.
He ends up in a small town that the Woodrow Dolarhyde played by Harrison
Ford runs the town due to his wealth and rigidness as a cattle owner.
Dolarhyde has a son played by Paul Dano who was a spoiled
and ruthless adolescent who finally went too far. While this drama between Dano, Craig, and
Ford, something they have never seen or
ever heard of comes from the sky and starts snatching a lot of the people, and
whatever drama that was between the towns people ended due to this mysterious
and space ships that attacked on them.
Many of the townspeople saddle up with Ford who wants to
find his son that was taken by the aliens.
Craig ends up joining them, and kept on being pestered by Ella played by
Olivia Wilde. Ella knew why Craig’s
character could remember the past and knew he would be the key to finding the
aliens.
This movie definitely brought it. Regardless the basic plots, the actors in the
movie were having fun with their characters.
How often do you see that? The chemistry
was great, to the point that the supporting characters, such as Sam Rockwell,
Clancy Brown, and Adam Beach. Rockwell
especially stood out and added that cherry on top of the sundae. He brought helped bring the chemistry between
Ford, Craig and Wilde.
Ford and Craig definitely brought it and showed why they are
superstars. You didn’t want to stop
watching what they brought. The story
was ok. I wished that the aliens showed
more communication with each other, and then act like the aliens in Independence
Day.
This movie was a risk to make. Mixing the oldest genre with the newest, but
in my book it worked, and I would like to see it again. My favorite line that came to be the focal
point of the film was ‘Didn’t matter who were or were you were going, it
matters who you are now.’ It made me
think, what would I do if something unexpected happens? The second question came to mind what would
you do for those you love?
I must admit, I did read the book before this movie, and the
movie was better than the book. See it!
Grade: B
If you liked this film, I recommend
Independence Day (1996)
Return of the Jedi (1983)
Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull (2008)