Cowboys and Aliens

PITCH

"God doesn't care about who you were son... He only cares about who you are"

VIEWING

      The title turns a lot of people off, I understand that.  Roberto Orci [producer] felt that the title would 'raise interest', make people curious about the film.  Well it certainly did for me considering I'm not the 'western film type.'  Though I have an open mind about all genres of film especially Sci-Fi, I couldn't help but be a little curious about the integration of the two.

     For the second time this week Hollywood got it right and another A film is born.  I really and earnestly try not to give out too many A's.  I definitely don't want to dilute the A grade but when a story is done and the director captures it just right and there's nothing else that could be done to make the film better then I have to award it as such.  Do I think Cowboys and Aliens is going to be a classic... maybe, maybe not.  It depends on how the people feel about it.  It's just too bad that most will never view it because of the title.

     Jon Favreau is quickly becoming legend.  Who does a the voice of a Bear from The Zookeeper and then directs such a thrilling movie like this in the same year?  Impressed is not the adjective I'm looking for but something greater than that.  I remember the first time I saw him was in Very Bad Things (1998).  He was funny to me and now it's even funnier how far he has come in his career.

        My position on westerns hasn't changed. A brief overview can be found in my reviews for Rango and True Grit [<-----click titles for reviews].  This western had a certain allure from the opening scene.  Maybe it was the quiet that gets disturbed by potential 'western' danger.  Perhaps it was the  MacGuffin [shackle of technology on his wrist] that perplexed Daniel Craig's character from the opening scene which, in turn, confused us (the audience) because really.... That tech-bracelet thingy is what brought us in the auditorium in the first place.  WHAT IS IT!?!?  Could have simply been the charm that good westerns throw on you. With great landscape shots and an array of colorful to dry characters with simple lines like:

" I don't know much about boats, but I would say that one's upside down."

 

Whatever the manipulative charm  is it worked, and I watched and ultimately... I loved it.

     Daniel Craig was incredible even though his role was reserved for Robert Downey Jr.  He has this fierce stare that speaks volumes.  He's not animated at all which works because when he does have to become.... violent, the action is unsuspecting and magnified.  It works for him well with the 007 movies and speaking of 007.... This makes Harrison Fords second former/current 'James Bond' that he shared the big screen with.  The first being Sean Connery in Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade.  Harrison Ford makes for a perfect cowboy with his uncanny ability to be grit tough and sincere at the same time.

     All the moments were captivating, stuff that really makes you think/reminiscence  on the ride home.   Certain parts, especially this one particular scene including Harrison Ford and his Indian servant, made even me feel salt swelling up in the ol' reservoir.  [Didn't let them go though... too hard for that :)]

   As stated earlier, I give this movie one of the highest marks that I can give it [A] and I only hope the masses will give it a chance... Definitely a movie worth watching.

   As with most films distributed by Universal Pictures, there is a brief promo after the end credits for Universal Studios. However, the promo used at the end of this movie uses the decidedly 1960s era ad to promote the Universal Studios back lot tour in Hollywood, California. This promo was replaced in 1990 when Universal Studios opened a second location in Orlando, Florida and changed its logo.  
     
                                                     -  www.imdb.com

WORTH

$$$$$