Cowboys and Aliens
Cowboys and Aliens gets off to a bang-up start. Daniel Craig wakes up in the dirt with nothing but the clothes on his back and a mysterious metallic bracelet and no idea of who he is. I was sold right there that this would be a movie worth seeing. And on balance, it probably is. Unfortunately, the first reel is the best one, and it's all downhill from there. I wouldn't dream of spoiling the tension and mystery of the early parts of this film, because it's seriously good movie making. Craig is such a totally convincing cowboy badass that I was shocked to remember he's not actually American. Harrison Ford is a great counterpart, giving a performance that is everything you like about Harrison Ford, but older, and way more grizzlier. Actually, props all around to the acting, since everyone involved with this film seems to have given their all except for the writers.
A lot of critics have complained that they don't know if this is supposed to be a serious film or a joke, and I think that just shows that they don't take sci-fi seriously. It's dead serious, except for the ridiculous title. Then again, it turns out when all is said and done that there really isn't a better one. By halfway through the film, we know who everyone is, and what's going to happen. And yeah, I kind of knew that going in. Unfortunately, when you have a movie based around a VS concept, you need to make the conflict interesting. In Avatar, for example, we were treated to a gripping 30 minutes or so of natives vs military. It was gripping because the natives triumphed using original tactics, and the screenwriters gave us all kinds of interesting scenarios. It was unpredictable, and always inventive. Loads of fun for everyone.
Unfortunately, Cowboys and Aliens doesn't present us with any kind of interesting conflict. The aliens are pretty generic, with a ridiculous evolutionary flaw that makes a pretty silly weak point. Of course, that weak point doesn't really matter because for the most part the winning strategy is "shoot em enough and they die". What's really maddening are the inconsistencies. We are informed that the aliens can't see well in the light, and that maybe the cowboys could lure them out for an advantage. Of course, when they do come out to attack, they see just fine, so there goes that idea. Also, sometimes bullets and spears bounce right off of them, but sometimes they don't and the aliens go down really easy. So... yeah.
Basically, you've got a great cast, a beautiful soundtrack, some nice 'splosions, and pretty classy direction, but to no real end. Still, it's a good time, if a bit boring as it goes. Hey, if you liked the trailer as much as I did, I'm sure you'll enjoy yourself. Just go with some friends so you can MST it a bit.
A lot of critics have complained that they don't know if this is supposed to be a serious film or a joke, and I think that just shows that they don't take sci-fi seriously. It's dead serious, except for the ridiculous title. Then again, it turns out when all is said and done that there really isn't a better one. By halfway through the film, we know who everyone is, and what's going to happen. And yeah, I kind of knew that going in. Unfortunately, when you have a movie based around a VS concept, you need to make the conflict interesting. In Avatar, for example, we were treated to a gripping 30 minutes or so of natives vs military. It was gripping because the natives triumphed using original tactics, and the screenwriters gave us all kinds of interesting scenarios. It was unpredictable, and always inventive. Loads of fun for everyone.
Unfortunately, Cowboys and Aliens doesn't present us with any kind of interesting conflict. The aliens are pretty generic, with a ridiculous evolutionary flaw that makes a pretty silly weak point. Of course, that weak point doesn't really matter because for the most part the winning strategy is "shoot em enough and they die". What's really maddening are the inconsistencies. We are informed that the aliens can't see well in the light, and that maybe the cowboys could lure them out for an advantage. Of course, when they do come out to attack, they see just fine, so there goes that idea. Also, sometimes bullets and spears bounce right off of them, but sometimes they don't and the aliens go down really easy. So... yeah.
Basically, you've got a great cast, a beautiful soundtrack, some nice 'splosions, and pretty classy direction, but to no real end. Still, it's a good time, if a bit boring as it goes. Hey, if you liked the trailer as much as I did, I'm sure you'll enjoy yourself. Just go with some friends so you can MST it a bit.