Review: 'Cowboys & Aliens' Is A Bumpy Ride

By Michael Lopez

Ever wonder why you don't see many Western movies these days? Is it because modern-day moviegoers have lost respect for the art of gunslinging or is it because people find them to be just plain boring. Possibly a little of both and, for better or worse, Cowboys & Aliens suffers quite a bit from the latter.

Looking at the credits, you can imagine great things from a movie like Cowboys. And perhaps that's part of its downfall. With such a rich pedigree behind it, expectations for this film are incredibly high. But sadly, talented names like Steven Spielberg, Harrison Ford, Ron Howard, and Jon Favreau can't save Cowboys from its own clichés.

Every character in this movie feels a little too familiar. There's the unknown stranger (Daniel Craig) who may have a villainous past, the salty veteran (Ford) who we soon find out has a heart of gold, and the frightened kid (Noah Ringer) who learns to be a man. Yes the concept of spaceships in the old west is fresh, but everything in between seems to feel uninspired.

The story also moves at a rather slow pace. There is much more emphasis put on cowboy sunsets and horse riding than on the Aliens and their backstory. And we imagine all of you sci-fi fans may find that to be a bit of a disappointment.

An hour or so in, the mysterious space creatures are finally revealed. But their reason for coming to Earth seems both far-fetched and just plain silly. That being said, the creepy alien designs are well executed and the spaceship action sequences deliver carnage very reminiscent of Favreau's Iron Man movies.

But too many elements of the plot come off stale. Characters popping in at just the right moment to save the day, sappy death scenes that are way too predictable, and a confusing subplot with Olivia Wilde that may need more explaining in the Director's Cut. Though the performances, the effects, and the action are all top notch, the Cowboys story feels like it got up and rode off into the sunset.

Bottom line: There is no denying that Western movies are tough to pull off in this day and age. And though the makers of Cowboys & Aliens obviously love the genre, they seem to have ignored the characters and dialogue that goes along with it. Yes there are great horse riding sequences, sunsets, and bow-and-arrow battles, but let's not forget the Aliens! If you really want to get your modern-day Western fix on, we recommend checking out Rango.

Are you planning on watching Cowboys & Aliens? Sound off in the comments or @MTV3.

Tags Blogger: Michael Lopez, Cowboys & Aliens, Daniel Craig, Harrison Ford, Jon Favreau, Movie Reviews, Movies & CineMás, Olivia Wilde, Ron Howard