"Cowboys and Aliens" (1 Viewer)

[pugio]

"Cowboys and Aliens" due in summer of 2011. Stars Daniel Craig and Harrison Ford. The clips look more like "Cowboys and Predators" but I'll take it either way.

 

[lancer]

Got a chance to see this today and I completely enjoyed it. It is one of the more unusual genre-crossover titles I have ever seen, but it was fun. Watch for Buck Taylor (Gunsmoke's Newly) with his two sons at the beginning playing a trio of scalphunters. -- Al

 

[larso]

I really enjoyed this movie! Here is a review I did at the time on Amazon (though 50% of my four 4 votes said it was unhelpfull!)

I am unfamiliar with the comic that this movie is based on but I am familiar with the `Cowboy and Indian' films that influenced it. Essentially they were popcorn movies designed to entertain with fast paced action and I am very pleased to say that this Sci-Fi take on the genre is a heap of fun as well.

Daniel Craig and Harrison Ford are great as the gruff and tough Westerners and the supporting task is fine too as assorted parsons, bartenders, sheriffs, outlaws and Apaches. It is refreshingly focused on the action, with the romantic elements very much played down. I enjoyed the fist-fights and the great scenery. The aliens are suitably villainous (you can tell they're bad even though they don't have black hats - or any other clothes for that matter), though they did appear a bit too super-powered for the standard Western weapons to deal with. Things are evened up of course with Craig's mysterious bracelet. He uses it liberally too. Indeed, no one really holds back and the climax is quite the kill-fest.

The film also has some blokey chuckles and some eye-candy in the lead actress. There are a couple of nice emotional touches at the end but the highlight for me was the full-blooded tone that was taken with the action. I was thoroughly entertained and if you go into the film, as a previous generation did to watch those earlier `Cowboys and Indians' actioners, you should have a great time too!

 

[mikemiller1955]

it was a good watch...at first it seemed implausible that aliens would be in this century...but I guess they could be anywhere and at any time...

 

[larso]

"it was a good watch...at first it seemed implausible that aliens would be in this century...but I guess they could be anywhere and at any time..."

Actually that reminds me of a series where an author - name forgotten?? - who specialises in alternate histories. He had a series about aliens invading Earth but hitting us mid way through WW2. There were some interesting developments but I never got beyond book 2. One theme was the aliens experiencing Vietnam War type problems like drug abuse!

 

[wadepat]

"it was a good watch...at first it seemed implausible that aliens would be in this century...but I guess they could be anywhere and at any time..."

Actually that reminds me of a series where an author - name forgotten?? - who specialises in alternate histories. He had a series about aliens invading Earth but hitting us mid way through WW2. There were some interesting developments but I never got beyond book 2. One theme was the aliens experiencing Vietnam War type problems like drug abuse!

Hi larso,

The author to whom you refer is Harry Turtledove. He wrote a four volume series referenced as the WorldWar series. In this story, aliens invade earth during the height of World War II. The alien invasion forces earth's combating powers to attempt to cooperate in order to fight the aliens. While the aliens possess superior technology and weaponry, their reconnaissance of earth occurred during the middle ages and the aliens are taken off guard by the rapid evolution of earth's weaponry. In short, the aliens expected to encounter swords, lances, bows, and arrows, not armored fighting vehicles, explosives, automatic weapons, bombs, etc. As I stated, the aliens' weapons are superior, but not as superior as they expected.

The story is quite gripping and easily holds the reader captive. Once you start this series, it is difficult to put it aside. And,...to make matters worse, the story is continued in a three volume series referenced as the Colonization. I recommend Harry Turtledove and his alternate histories very highly for exciting and interesting fictional alternate histories. He is one of my favorite authors.

Warmest personal regards,

Pat :smile2:

 

[larso]

'Harry Turtledove' - that's him! Yes, I was enjoying it but my attentions got dragged elsewhere. He also had a series where the South won the Civil War and continued as a seperate country. They might have allied with the Germans in WW2? I seem to remember something about people like Patton leading armies against people like MacArthur??

 

[waynepoo]

'Harry Turtledove' - that's him! Yes, I was enjoying it but my attentions got dragged elsewhere. He also had a series where the South won the Civil War and continued as a seperate country. They might have allied with the Germans in WW2? I seem to remember something about people like Patton leading armies against people like MacArthur??

Have read both , i found that alien lizards being addicted to ginger was quite amusing, great imagination.
Waynepoo.

 

[Jack]

'Harry Turtledove' - that's him! Yes, I was enjoying it but my attentions got dragged elsewhere. He also had a series where the South won the Civil War and continued as a seperate country. They might have allied with the Germans in WW2? I seem to remember something about people like Patton leading armies against people like MacArthur??

Larso - if you like alternate history quite different from the way it really happened, take a look at what is taught in our schools!

 

[larso]

I think it's worse in our universities.

 

[Jack]

I think it's worse in our universities.

Agreed - a little bit too left leaning at times!

 

[Scott]

Watched it last night on DVD. A lot of fun. Good to see Clancy Brown (from Star Ship Troopers and others) and Keith Caradine carrying on the western movie tradition of his father John.