Cowboys and Aliens (2011)

[Connavar]

I saw it last night and enjoyed it very much. It was fun film to see in the cinema. It was a hardcore western which is a film type that died out long ago and a pretty good alien SF. Nasty aliens that you could actually see. Some nice humor and alot of good actors.

My old fav more human action in Harrison Ford and my younger version of him in Daniel Craig they and the director didnt dissapoint.

[CyBeR]

I was actually quite disappointed in the directing of the film. A lot o scenes had no flow and a lot of character introductions were just really really awkward. There would be people sitting around a fire and suddenly some Indians walk in from off screen, almost shuffling in. It was almost as amusing as some of the stuff in Capek's R.U.R.

But otherwise I pretty much enjoyed the movie. I saw it yesterday as well and it was a good time there. I was expecting maybe a bit more than I got, especially with such a concept. But the aliens were fun, the third act was really fun, and Harrison Ford seemed to be enjoying himself which oftentimes adds a lot to a character.

Too bad that they didn't have some more diverse aliens though.

[Connavar]

They couldnt have diverse aliens in story reasons, the aliens in the film was the ones scouting out the humans.

I like the nasty looking aliens. I agree some of the scenes didnt have a nice flow, specially early on but when the story got going after awhile the directing got going too.

[CyBeR]

Actually I just remembered what the first acts reminded me of: F troop. I swear those scene transitions really are almost lifted from that classic series.

As I said, the third act fixes most of the problems the first two had. There was some very good action in this film and I really can't say I didn't enjoy myself.

Plus...Olivia Wilde is hot-hot-hot.

[Decker]

Wasn't anyone else bothered by the fact that this galaxy-trotting, warp-drive (or whatever) using, thought controlled weapon-inventing civilization (the members of which nonetheless act like slavering hyenas... and stupid hyenas at that) had come umpteen light years to a planet riddled with pesky "insects" to mine gold, the reason for which we're told is that "it's as valuable to them as it is to you", when they could have stopped off at pretty much any rocky planet, planetoid or asteroid belt and mined away to their dark hearts' content and with no interference from indigenous populations? Or that, given the ability to vaporize huge chunks of earth along with entire herds of cattle, vegetation and any of those afore-mentioned pesky insects, they wasted their time rounding the latter up from the sky (and, let's be fair, likely killing anyone so whisked in the process) to probe their "weaknesses"? Exactly what weaknesses would those be that they'd need to determine? These are just the "plot's" most glaring deficiences, imho.

[clovis-man]

Originally Posted by Decker

when they could have stopped off at pretty much any rocky planet, planetoid or asteroid belt and mined away to their dark hearts' content and with no interference from indigenous populations?

But then we wouldn't have had a story and where's the fun in that??

[TheTomG]

Wait, you expected it would have a plot ?

[CyBeR]

The moment a cowboy woke up with advanced technology on his wrist, my brain just said "Yeah, you have fun there, swing by the gift shop to pick me up when you're done, ok?".

[Dave]

Originally Posted by CyBeR

The moment a cowboy woke up with advanced technology on his wrist...

I really wanted to see this, but you are beginning to put me off. Is it filled with such anachronisms then?

Originally Posted by Decker

...they could have stopped off at pretty much any rocky planet, planetoid or asteroid belt and mined away to their dark hearts' content and with no interference from indigenous populations?

I was actually going to pull you up on that, to say that most asteroids are either rocky or Iron-Nickel and it is only within the Earth's Crust that you find high concentrations of heavy and transition metals, however when I Googled to check my facts I found that I was entirely and completely wrong!

The most detailed analysis of the asteroid Eros by the Near Earth Asteroid Rendezvous (Near) suggested that the next gold rush could be in outer space. Eros contains more gold than ever extracted on Earth! In fact, other recent studies go further and have suggested that huge asteroids may have actually brought the gold and other precious metals to the infant Earth. I studied some astro-geomorphology at university, but I guess I can now throw all those lecture notes away as they seem painfully out of date (just like this film!)

[Connavar]

Dave its a SF/western there is nothing off putting about unless you want too realistic film.

Why watch a weird western and looking for realism ?

CyBeR said it was a fun film like i said.

Using the kind of logic that say why come to earth for gold there is no need for any film, story at all. You could find reasons why most fiction story shouldnt happen at all even.

[TheEndIsNigh]

Mrs Tein and I went to see it last week.

It is what it is. A bit of escapism.

On the whole, we both enjoyed it.

Why they cast Jimmy Band as the main character is a mystery though.

[Decker]

Originally Posted by Connavar

Dave its a SF/western there is nothing off putting about unless you want too realistic film.

Why watch a weird western and looking for realism ?

CyBeR said it was a fun film like i said.

Using the kind of logic that say why come to earth for gold there is no need for any film, story at all. You could find reasons why most fiction story shouldnt happen at all even.

I'm glad you enjoyed it. However it's not a question of realism but coherent drama, in which Rule #1 is that your bad guy has to have a compelling reason to be bad or nothing works. Moreover, when you're spending $163 million to make a movie, and perhaps as much again to market it, you should be responsible for more than mere fun with gaping plot holes.

Compare this train wreck with the likes of Blade Runner, Alien, Star Wars... any good/classic sci-fi you care to name, and it comes up ridiculously short. Drama needs logic. Without that it's just a bloated budget version of a throwaway slasher flick, kids trapped in the house and who cares.

[Connavar]

You expected SF classic from an action film ?

No wonder you didnt like it. I went in looking for good action with Craig,Ford and got it. Story wise it has some problems but it was fun,well acted as SF action and it was good western setting. Fun film with quality actors but no where near a great film.

Hollywood hasnt made a great SF in 20 years atleast. Still your criticism for why are they in earth for gold was funny to me, didnt make sense. Its like saying why is there always aliens who like human flesh so much in Alien films....

[Dave]

Originally Posted by Connavar

You expected SF classic from an action film ?

No wonder you didnt like it. I went in looking for good action with Craig,Ford and got it. Story wise it has some problems but it was fun,well acted as SF action and it was good western setting. Fun film with quality actors but no where near a great film.

Hollywood hasnt made a great SF in 20 years atleast. Still your criticism for why are they in earth for gold was funny to me, didnt make sense. Its like saying why is there always aliens who like human flesh so much in Alien films....

I haven't seen it, I'll probably wait for the DVD now, but I have to disagree with you on many levels:

Aliens go for human flesh because no other flesh is available. What Decker was suggesting was that supplies of Gold are ubiquitous. It is more believable when they come for our oceans.

You certainly can have action/SF films that are good - Total Recall, Inception, The Running Man, Terminator series, any 'Arny' film.

There has not been an absence of good SF films since 1991 either - Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, District 9, Donnie Darko, Dark City, Inception.

I do agree that this probably won't make my list, the idea itself isn't too bad though - there is an episode of 'The Time Tunnel' that had aliens in the wild west, and 'The Wild, Wild West' was steampunk - so it isn't even a new idea either.

[mtzGr]

I think the one and only good part of this movie was the dialogue with Daniel Craig and Harrison Ford during the initial encounter. The rest of the movie I think was done badly. Dialogue, plot and pacing was sub-par, I couldn't bother to watch all of it.