Cowboys and Aliens

Spoiler Alert! This review reveals crucial plot points, character development and pivotal events in the movie. See what I'm saying? If you don't want to know, stop now.

This is the first review I've posted before the actual release of the film. Why? Well, I'm not a professional movie critic yet (at least in the studio's eyes), but I was lucky enough to go to the world premiere of Cowboys & Aliens.

My dad and I go to Comic-Con every year - always the highlight of my summer. For those who aren't familiar with Comic-Con, it's an annual convention in San Diego that celebrates movies, television, and (of course) comic books. Dad and I go to see the movie and television panels.

Last year, there was a panel for a movie called Cowboys & Aliens. No one knew what it was about, just that it involved Jon Favreau, Steven Spielberg, Ron Howard, Harrison Ford, Daniel Craig, and Olivia Wilde. Then people started talking, wondering what this dream team of a cast and crew was up to. But after Jon Favreau showed the first 13 minutes at Comic-Con, people couldn't stop talking. Favreau promised they'd be at Comic-Con next year.

What nobody knew was that he meant the world premiere of Cowboys & Aliens would be at Comic-Con next year.

As we treked down to San Diego this year, I was ecstatic. Then I found to get the tickets, you were texted a location, and when you got there the Cowboys & Aliens people would give you a "gold brick". We got texts almost hourly, but every time we were in a panel.

On the last day, right after our last panel of the day, I got a text. Little did I know it would change my entire Comic-Con experience. It said head to the Hilton Gaslamp for the last chance at going to the premiere. We looked up, and turns out we were right across the street from that hotel. So we took off, along with a few thousand of our closest friends who also received the text.

As we waited in the huge line we saw that they were down to their final box of gold bricks. We were some of the last, lucky few who got them. Inside was a certificate for a free slurpee, either a t-shirt or a plastic version of Daniel Craig's arm bracelet/blaster, and a little card with a tear off tab. My dad opened his and it read, "Sorry try again." Needless to say this brought my hopes down. Not expecting much, I tore off my piece slowly.

I now know what Charlie felt when he found the golden ticket.

I must've read it wrong, this has to be a mistake - it can't say congratulations, how did I win, I am now guarding this with my life. There was so much going through my head. We went to a location, picked up our passes to the world premiere and off we went.

The movie, experience, people, and after-party were great. But let's get to the review shall we?

Cowboys & Aliens is such an interesting concept. A western mixed with a sci-fi. It could go horribly wrong in so many ways. But it didn't. The film starts out with Daniel Craig waking up in the middle of the desert. He has quite a bracelet on his hand, it won't come off and you can see he obviously doesn't remember how he got it or why.

He doesn't remember much actually.

He runs into some cowboys who believe he's an outlaw, and try to make him go with them which doesn't turn out well for them. Craig goes into town and finds out his name is Jake Lonergan, and he's wanted for murder, arson, and a slew of other things. He's arrested, and set to be sent to Santa Fe.

Harrison Ford's character (Woodrow Dolarhyde) comes to get his son out of the prison, but finds out Lonergan is there and turns his attention to him. Just as Dolarhyde is about to take his son and Lonergan by force from the sheriff, he sees a bunch of lights in the sky. They go black, then turn on again and start blowing things up and taking people. This lead's to Dolarhyde's son being taken, Doc's (Sam Rockwell) wife, and about twenty-five other townspeople. Lonergan and Dolarhyde have had difficulties in the past but they're ready to set those apart to get their people back.

Along the way they come across some aliens (called "demons") in an upside down boat, and also in the ending battle which is quite epic. Turns out the aliens are after the same thing they are: gold.

I'm a fan of westerns and Cowboys & Aliens didn't disappoint. It strikes a perfect balance between sci-fi and western genres, and turned out to be a ton of fun. The script was not Oscar material, but flowed nicely. Daniel Craig was a perfect cowboy/alien abductee. Olivia Wilde was good, although her character (Ella Swenson) could've used a little more explanation. Sam Rockwell (whom I met and talked to at the premiere, but that's another story) was funny and delivered a solid performance.

But Harrison Ford really shows why he's the legendary movie icon that he is. He was perfect as the gritty cowboy/land baron who practically owns the town of Absolution, where the aliens first appear. The music was great for a western with lots of acoustic guitar which suited the mood.

A fun, exciting, solid summer film.

Studio: Universal Pictures

Actors: Daniel Craig (Jake Lonergan), Harrison Ford (Woodrow Dolarhyde), Olivia Wilde (Ella Swenson)

Recap: B+

Picture Courtesy of Universal Pictures