My Favourite Movies: Cowboys & Aliens

Mixing genres, especially those as seemingly different as the western and science fiction, is difficult to pull off convincingly. Fortunately here we have an example that worked rather well.

It all starts with in the middle of scrubland when Daniel Craig suddenly wakes after what looked like a particularly bad dream. He’s alone, unarmed and has apparently been shot but can’t remember how he got there or, indeed, who he is. Almost before he’s got a moment to think he’s surrounded by three Indian hunters who think he might be a prisoner on the run – especially as he has ‘iron’ on one of his wrists. Big mistake – for the three would-be bounty hunters. Now dressed and armed the cowboy without a name or a memory rides into the nearest town where he is recognised as outlaw Jake Lonergan and is almost immediately arrested. Before he can be transported to the nearest judge the town is attacked, from the air, by things no one has ever seen before – flying vehicles that pluck people from the ground and disappear into the darkness. Only Lonergan manages to shoot one of them down when he discovers that the ‘iron’ on his wrist is in fact some kind of weapon. Riding in pursuit of their abducted town folk Lonergan joins forces with local cattle Baron Colonel Dolarhyde (played rather badly by Harrison Ford) and the mysterious female gunslinger Ella Swenson (played by the very beautiful Olivia Wilde). But in order to defeat an enemy literally light-years ahead of them they need to put old enmities to one side and join forces with local Indians and with Jake’s old gang. For if the aliens succeed here they’ll be back in force and then no one will be safe!

Setting an alien invasion film in the past isn’t that new an idea in the SF book (or comic book) world. Putting it on the big screen – especially with some very big names – is not something you see every day. Probably half the reason I saw this is the interesting mixture of genres. The other half was probably Daniel Craig who was quite honestly superb in this. He certainly didn’t say very much but he most definitely kicked some serious arse whether it was human or alien. Olivia Wilde not only provided some serious eye-candy (frankly I could barely drag my eyes off her every time she was on screen) but more than held her own whenever she appeared with the two main stars. The supporting cast was pretty good too – even the ubiquitous kid was OK and definitely has a future in movies. Overall this is not a movie that will stretch your mind or your endurance (coming in at just under 2 hours) but if you like a good western, a good SF adventure or a mixture of the two you’ll definitely enjoy this. There’s some very nice, and sometimes creepily disturbing, scenes (I particularly liked the upturned paddle-steamer) lots of action, some humour and a potentially ambiguous ending. If you didn’t catch it at the cinema, being put of by the idea of it, don’t miss it on DVD rental or download.