Review of Cowboys & Aliens (2011) by Jeremy B — 19 Nov 2016

Jon Favreau directs Harrison Ford, Daniel Craig and Olivia Wilde in Cowboys and Aliens. The film begins with Jake (Daniel Craig) waking up dazed, lost and confused. He does not remember who he is, or how or why he is in the circumstances that he is. He notices a foreign bracelet on his arm, and a wound on his abdomen, but does not know how he got them. He makes his way into town to discover that he is a wanted man for terrorizing towns. As he is on the verge of being apprehended and sent to trial, an alien invasion sweeps across the town abducting individuals with long cords.

At this point all bets are off, and he, a doctor (Sam Rockwell), a cattle baron Colonel Dolarhyde (Harrison Ford), and a mysterious woman Ella (Olivia Wilde) all decide to travel together to trace down the and recover their loved ones. There only hope is with Jake and his arm bracelet, that is a powerful weapon, and having him recall his past to aid with the origin of the alien invasion. As they travel they come across savage native Indians, and bounty hunters that all aim to kill them. They soon all come to realize they must band together despite their differences to fend off these aliens and ensure their survival.

Cowboys and Aliens is by no means an amazing film, but it has some originality to it. The blend of science fiction and western is by no means common. All the characters give fine performances in what is generally a weak story. Some of the scenes with the Indians and Jake's former crew somewhat detract from the film and do not offer enough value to the film. The action sequences and special effects of the movie are pretty good and keep the film interesting. The scenes of Jake remembering his past has some interesting moments, and ultimately keep the plot moving, but there are too many of them. The film offers some twists and turns, and does avoid some typical Hollywood clichés. Despite the fusion of genres and a solid cast, Cowboys and Aliens is not much more than your typical blockbuster film. The film has good effects, and some good action, and a solid character base, but does not build much beyond this.

-11.19.2016.