Cowboys and Aliens

I've just come from seeing Cowboys and Aliens starring Daniel Craig and Harrison Ford and I must say I enjoyed it. It is perfect summer fare. I've always loved movies that feature a loner who is fearless and macho in the face of adversity no matter how it comes and can well take care of himself and Daniel Craig's character is certainly that.

The story takes place in 1875. New Mexico Territory. A stranger (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). Fords's character is a big ranch owner comparable to Ben Cartwright in another life. His son Percy played by Paul Dano is the town wiseguy and drunk always hiding behind his father and threatening the town.

The film has something for everyone. Good guys vs. bad guys, a wanted man meets up with his former gang who don't like him now since he left them and took all the gold he stole from a stagecoach with him, Indians and various prejudices and of course aliens from outer space threatening to annihilate everyone. All these groups must ban together to fight off being wiped out. There is plenty of action and characters though many are stereotyped we've seen before, but that's fine with me.

A beautiful woman stranger is among them played by Olivia Wilde who adds to the romantic tension. It seems the aliens are from another planet seeking gold which is rare to them and mining here. They are also kidnapping earth people (Harrison Ford's son among them) by lashing long rope like cables from their spaceships and hauling them up into them to study and experiment on them to test their weaknesses so they can take over earth. You see not all aliens are friendly.

The aliens themselves are large lizard like creatures with stomachs that open up revealing two gooey hands coming out to capture you. Ever since Sigourney Weaver had her encounter with her alien who spit gooey strands, others have since emulated that in various sci-fi movies. This is no exception.

I don't know if it's because he is getting older now or if that was his character, but Harrison Ford struck me as speaking slower and more gruffer than usual with a slight hoarsness to his voice. A far cry from his Han Solo and Indiana Jones characters we've come to love and enjoy. Daniel Craig is excellent as the fearless wanted man who has lost his memory from being abducted and fights without flinching whenever confronted while keeping his cool and Olivia Wild is heart throbbing and mesmerizing as the mysterious traveler among them. She too has a secret.

Check out Cowboys and Aliens. I am enclosing a link here to a trailer that pretty well captuers the movie.

Cowboys & Aliens Moviefone