Cowboys & Aliens
From director Jon Favreau (Iron Man), a sci-fi western with Daniel Craig, Harrison Ford, Olivia Wilde and Sam Rockwell. Adapted from the 2006 graphic novel of the same name. Executive produced by Steven Spielberg.
1873, Arizona, Old West USA. A stranger named Jake (Craig), with no memory of his past, stumbles into the hard desert town of Absolution. The only hint to his history is a futuristic shackle shackling his wrist. He's 'aint welcome – a fact made clear by the iron-fisted Colonel Dolarhyde (Ford).
Dolarhyde runs his town by fear. But Absolution is about to experience alien terror as it's attacked by marauders from the sky: screaming down with blinding lights and abducting the helpless one by one. Of course it's Lonergan, the stranger the city rejected, that is their only hope – the gunslinger slowly starts to remember who he is and realises he holds a secret that could give these cowboys a chance. He enlists the help of an elusive traveller (Wilde) and a posse of townsfolk, outlaws and Apache warriors.
- Director:
- Jon Favreau ('Iron Man 2', 'Iron Man', 'Made')
- Writer:
- Damon LindelofMark FergusAlex KurtzmanRoberto OrciHawk Ostby
- Cast:
- Daniel CraigHarrison FordOlivia WildeSam RockwellAdam BeachPaul Dano
Reviews & comments
Variety
pressWhile Cowboys & Aliens offers little in the way of sociological insight (except perhaps giving the white man a taste of his own resource-stealing medicine), it's still a ripping good ride.
Total Film
pressSolid bordering on stolid. It’s Favreau in control again after Avengers advert Iron Man 2 - but given the possibilities, a mild, mild west. More horsing around and another set-piece or two might’ve helped.
The New York Times
pressFavreau wavers uncertainly between goofy pastiche and seriousness in a movie that wastes its title and misses the opportunity to play with, you know, ideas about the western and science-fiction horror.
Roger Ebert
pressCowboys & Aliens has without any doubt the most cockamamie plot I've witnessed in many a moon.
Los Angeles Times
pressA leaden mash-up of western and science-fiction elements that ends up noisy, grotesque and unappealing.
Hollywood Reporter
pressThe key to its success lies in the determination by everyone involved to play the damn thing straight. Even the slightest goofiness, the tiniest touch of camp, and the whole thing would blow sky high. But it doesn't.
Empire Magazine
pressA simple entertainment in a summer of overcomplicated disappointments. Also much harder-edged than you may have expected.
Dominion Post
pressCowboys & Aliens is a frustrating film. Some individual scenes and set pieces are terrifically enjoyable, but that mash-up of genres won't allow one good solid story to develop. The western elements are too gimmicky, while the sci-fi yields nothing more than a pack of bad-guys.
A.V. Club
pressYou want cowboys and aliens in the same movie? This one's for you. If you want anything beyond what the title promises, look elsewhere. And that means even anything resembling a clever mash-up of established genres.
Monsters v Aliens was more believable... it had more three-dimensional characters too and better acting and script... Still, one bIG star for Harrison Ford being grumpy! Honestly, watch Harrison in STAR WARS (all three); INDIANNA JONES (all four), BLADE RUNNER, THE FUGITIVE and MORNING GLORY - heck EVERY FILM he ever did! The guy has three expressions:...
Andrew Hedley obviously believes that holding on to the arty farty stile of the pony tailed guy of the late 70ths is important. Just don't believe him, go and see it!
A movie that stays true to traditional west but this times aliens enter in to colonize. The ironic twist is met with some good old fashion male ego clashing and gun slinging.
If you go into this with low expectations you will be pleasantly suprised its awesome to see Daniel Craig and Harrison Ford as a bad guy its certainly a lot differnt to your usual movie fodder and a cool title to one to see
The title put me off for a long time- it sounded so cheesy. But it was quite a good movie with great acting from Daniel Craig and my fav of the movie, Harrison Ford, playing the bad guy comes good cattle baron. Interesting concept, yukky mean aliens abductions and cowboys joining forces with Native Americans, made it a refreshing change from the usal...
Did not expect too much, went along with someone else who wanted to see it. Really enjoyed it, the aliens vs Indians scenes were a bit weak, but the story was interesting.
when you look like Daniel Craig in those leather cowboy chaps? Everything apart from that is mediocre and that's giving it more credit than it deserves. And those aliens are seriously ugly. Very unpleasant things to look at. For a mind-numbing experience after a hard day of intellectual work.
walked into the cinema with very low expectations...but wasn't too bad in the end. lots of action, special effects and a few laughs along the way!
Variety
pressWhile Cowboys & Aliens offers little in the way of sociological insight (except perhaps giving the white man a taste of his own resource-stealing medicine), it's still a ripping good ride.
Total Film
pressSolid bordering on stolid. It’s Favreau in control again after Avengers advert Iron Man 2 - but given the possibilities, a mild, mild west. More horsing around and another set-piece or two might’ve helped.
The New York Times
pressFavreau wavers uncertainly between goofy pastiche and seriousness in a movie that wastes its title and misses the opportunity to play with, you know, ideas about the western and science-fiction horror.
Roger Ebert
pressCowboys & Aliens has without any doubt the most cockamamie plot I've witnessed in many a moon.
Los Angeles Times
pressA leaden mash-up of western and science-fiction elements that ends up noisy, grotesque and unappealing.
Hollywood Reporter
pressThe key to its success lies in the determination by everyone involved to play the damn thing straight. Even the slightest goofiness, the tiniest touch of camp, and the whole thing would blow sky high. But it doesn't.
Empire Magazine
pressA simple entertainment in a summer of overcomplicated disappointments. Also much harder-edged than you may have expected.
Dominion Post
pressCowboys & Aliens is a frustrating film. Some individual scenes and set pieces are terrifically enjoyable, but that mash-up of genres won't allow one good solid story to develop. The western elements are too gimmicky, while the sci-fi yields nothing more than a pack of bad-guys.
A.V. Club
pressYou want cowboys and aliens in the same movie? This one's for you. If you want anything beyond what the title promises, look elsewhere. And that means even anything resembling a clever mash-up of established genres.
Monsters v Aliens was more believable... it had more three-dimensional characters too and better acting and script... Still, one bIG star for Harrison Ford being grumpy! Honestly, watch Harrison in STAR WARS (all three); INDIANNA JONES (all four), BLADE RUNNER, THE FUGITIVE and MORNING GLORY - heck EVERY FILM he ever did! The guy has three expressions:...
Andrew Hedley obviously believes that holding on to the arty farty stile of the pony tailed guy of the late 70ths is important. Just don't believe him, go and see it!
A movie that stays true to traditional west but this times aliens enter in to colonize. The ironic twist is met with some good old fashion male ego clashing and gun slinging.
If you go into this with low expectations you will be pleasantly suprised its awesome to see Daniel Craig and Harrison Ford as a bad guy its certainly a lot differnt to your usual movie fodder and a cool title to one to see
The title put me off for a long time- it sounded so cheesy. But it was quite a good movie with great acting from Daniel Craig and my fav of the movie, Harrison Ford, playing the bad guy comes good cattle baron. Interesting concept, yukky mean aliens abductions and cowboys joining forces with Native Americans, made it a refreshing change from the usal...
Did not expect too much, went along with someone else who wanted to see it. Really enjoyed it, the aliens vs Indians scenes were a bit weak, but the story was interesting.
when you look like Daniel Craig in those leather cowboy chaps? Everything apart from that is mediocre and that's giving it more credit than it deserves. And those aliens are seriously ugly. Very unpleasant things to look at. For a mind-numbing experience after a hard day of intellectual work.
walked into the cinema with very low expectations...but wasn't too bad in the end. lots of action, special effects and a few laughs along the way!
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