Cowboys & Aliens
Review by Sean Lynch
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Cowboys & Aliens
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Is there anything better than a Western? An alien movie, perhaps?
What if both were combined into one flick that was faithful to both
genres? You'd like that? You would? Well, that's a tad lucky isn't it,
because Iron Man director Jon Favreau has done just that with the aptly titled Cowboys & Aliens.
Kicking off in 1875 New Mexico, a mysterious stranger (a rugged as always, Daniel Craig) with no memory of his
past stumbles into the hard desert town of Absolution.
The only hint to
his history is a mysterious shackle that encircles one wrist. What he
discovers is that the people of Absolution don't welcome strangers, and
nobody makes a move on its streets unless ordered to do so by the
iron-fisted Colonel Dolarhyde (Harrison Ford, in his finest form since Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade).
But
Absolution is about to experience fear it can scarcely comprehend as
the desolate city is attacked by marauders from the sky. Screaming down
with breathtaking velocity and blinding lights to abduct the helpless
one by one, these monsters challenge everything the residents have ever
known.
Now, the stranger they rejected is their only hope for
salvation. Lucky for them, he's a bit of a badass.
As this gunslinger slowly starts to remember who he is and
where he's been, he realises he holds a secret that could give the town
a fighting chance against the alien force. With the help of the elusive
traveler Ella (the unusually subdued Olivia Wilde), he pulls together a posse comprised of
former opponents-townsfolk, Dolarhyde and his boys, outlaws and Apache
warriors-all in danger of annihilation.
United against a common enemy,
they will prepare for an epic showdown for survival.
Despite what many reviewers have said thus far, there is actually quite a lot of fun to be had with Cowboys & Aliens.
Favreau's ability to weave action, adventure and character into popcorn
affairs is a genuine gift that I feel many have taken for granted.
The
performance he gets from Ford is an achievement unto itself
(considering Ford has been sleepwalking for the last decade or so),
while Daniel Craig is thoroughly convincing as the no nonsense dark
stranger - the ultimate cowboy, albeit a slightly boring one.
The
film was initially intended to star Favreau's Box Office pal Robert
Downey Jnr, a move which may have removed some of the impressive
physical presence brought by Craig - but greatly improved the
personality Favreau despereately tries to inject into Craig's
character. There are plenty of opportunities for humour, some actually
in the script, that just aren't sold the way Downey Jnr may have.
The theory is, you can make an actor look like a hero - but you can't give a person personality if they are made of stone.
This slight hiccup aside, Cowboys & Aliens delivers everything it promises and as a result, is one of the most unique and fresh ideas to hit screens in some time. 4 out
of 5
Cowboys & Aliens
Australian release: 18th August,
2011
Official
Site: Cowboys & Aliens
Cast: Daniel Craig, Harrison Ford, Olivia Wilde, Sam Rockwell, Adam Beach, Paul Dano, Noah Ringer
Director: Jon Favreau
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