Cowboys & Aliens: A Review
I just finished watching Cowboys and Aliens, and here's why you should watch it:
You might like this movie if you like any of the following:
1. Daniel Craig
2. Daniel Craig's strut
3. Daniel Craig's ass
4. Daniel Craig in chaps
5. Daniel Craig's voice (as a rugged cowboy, he does a great job
Okay, seriously, though:
1. Daniel Craig (it's still true)
2. Cowboy films
3. "Creatures"
4. Good music (same guy who did Narnia movies; it's epic and memorable)
5. Harrison Ford
6. Underdogs/antiheroes
7. Guns
8. Explosions
9. Science fiction
10. Olivia Wilde
The movie feels like a solid 3.5 stars to me. Not quite on par with, say, Tomb Raider (which I'm well aware is not a great movie, but I like it, and that's who's reviewing this). (Another sidenote: Daniel Craig, a Brit, plays an American in the first Tomb Raider, while Angelina Jolie, an American, plays a Brit. ... It's the little things in life, I tell ya.)
It does not have inifinite re-watchability, but I feel that if you're a fan of cowboy films or creature films or Daniel Craig you will enjoy this movie for what it is: a slightly-smarter-than-normal DAM (Dumb Action Movie).
It's a bit long, but not overly so.
The setting is somewhere in the Southwest (filmed in New Mexico, but is said to take place in AZ), with the gorgeous terrain that that affords. (I like the way the Southwest looks, okay?)
Harrison Ford plays an interesting character--by turns obnoxious, caring, racist, and reformed. Yes, he's old now, but the man's still got "it". I feel that, like Mark Hamill, he could make a killing in voice acting.
The rest of the cast are mostly unknowns, except for Sam Rockwell, but he's not really a "main" character. He's flawed and interesting, too, though.
Olivia Wilde can't act, but is durn pretty to look at, so there's that.
Daniel Craig, however, rules the screen. This movie is rightly his story, and he owns it. He does a good job of being the amnesiac/badass/etc/etc. He's extremely believable as a cowboy (the man looks born to that role), and there was only one or two lines that had even a hint of his accent bleeding through. (His voice is also wonderful. He should do audiobooks or something.)
The creatures are apparently animatronic (?) and as Guillermo del Toro and Spielberg consulted on this movie, you know it will be good.
And you know what?
It is good.
It's not great, but it's enjoyable and far better than a lot of people seem to think it will be.
I think people forgot the "Cowboys" part of the title and were expecting something more like Alien.
Which is silly, right?
You might like this movie if you like any of the following:
1. Daniel Craig
2. Daniel Craig's strut
3. Daniel Craig's ass
4. Daniel Craig in chaps
5. Daniel Craig's voice (as a rugged cowboy, he does a great job
Okay, seriously, though:
1. Daniel Craig (it's still true)
2. Cowboy films
3. "Creatures"
4. Good music (same guy who did Narnia movies; it's epic and memorable)
5. Harrison Ford
6. Underdogs/antiheroes
7. Guns
8. Explosions
9. Science fiction
10. Olivia Wilde
The movie feels like a solid 3.5 stars to me. Not quite on par with, say, Tomb Raider (which I'm well aware is not a great movie, but I like it, and that's who's reviewing this). (Another sidenote: Daniel Craig, a Brit, plays an American in the first Tomb Raider, while Angelina Jolie, an American, plays a Brit. ... It's the little things in life, I tell ya.)
It does not have inifinite re-watchability, but I feel that if you're a fan of cowboy films or creature films or Daniel Craig you will enjoy this movie for what it is: a slightly-smarter-than-normal DAM (Dumb Action Movie).
It's a bit long, but not overly so.
The setting is somewhere in the Southwest (filmed in New Mexico, but is said to take place in AZ), with the gorgeous terrain that that affords. (I like the way the Southwest looks, okay?)
Harrison Ford plays an interesting character--by turns obnoxious, caring, racist, and reformed. Yes, he's old now, but the man's still got "it". I feel that, like Mark Hamill, he could make a killing in voice acting.
The rest of the cast are mostly unknowns, except for Sam Rockwell, but he's not really a "main" character. He's flawed and interesting, too, though.
Olivia Wilde can't act, but is durn pretty to look at, so there's that.
Daniel Craig, however, rules the screen. This movie is rightly his story, and he owns it. He does a good job of being the amnesiac/badass/etc/etc. He's extremely believable as a cowboy (the man looks born to that role), and there was only one or two lines that had even a hint of his accent bleeding through. (His voice is also wonderful. He should do audiobooks or something.)
The creatures are apparently animatronic (?) and as Guillermo del Toro and Spielberg consulted on this movie, you know it will be good.
And you know what?
It is good.
It's not great, but it's enjoyable and far better than a lot of people seem to think it will be.
I think people forgot the "Cowboys" part of the title and were expecting something more like Alien.
Which is silly, right?