“Cowboys & Aliens” is a western movie — that just happens to have alien antagonists. All the cliché props are present such as spurs, shoot-outs and saloons, but stale cowboy storylines aren’t reused in this Jon Favreau-directed film. By infusing a little science fiction into a well-rounded story, the plot twists and turns with lightning-fast speed and reminds audiences why western movies shouldn’t be deemed a dying genre.
It seems impossible that the devastatingly debonair James Bond could convincingly play a perpetually gritty and vicious-tempered cowboy, but somehow the British heartthrob Daniel Craig translates perfectly into the role of Jake Lonergan, a wanted criminal. After regaining consciousness alone in the desert with no recollection of who or where he is, Jake’s magic bracelet seems to be the only thing that can save the nearby town from an airborne alien attack. While piecing together his memories, Jake becomes the leader of a ragtag rescue team, which includes Harrison Ford as a gruff ex-sergeant, Sam Rockwell as a wimpy saloon owner and Olivia Wilde as the otherworldly beautiful love interest. With a script full of heartfelt and hilarious moments, every character has a unique personality that adds to the overall direction of the story. Rather than a predictable plot of good guy vs. bad guy, “Cowboys & Aliens” introduces cowboys, outlaws and American Indians alike in the quest to defeat extraterrestrials.
The main drawback is the detail that goes into the aliens. Without much of an introduction and even less suspense, the aliens are shown head-on, leaving nothing to the imagination. There just doesn’t seem to be anything very scary about aliens running around in broad daylight, but then again, that’s how cowboys fight: in broad daylight in the middle of town square. So maybe these aliens are actually a bit more like cowboys themselves.
If audiences can ignore the cheesy importance of the magic bracelet, they can focus on the fact that this is a really good movie. Without too many references to famous westerns, Favreau successfully incorporates alien life forms without creating a science fiction film. Never is there a dull moment, yet audiences still feel that solitary loneliness of the desert and the tough life of being a cowboy.
