Cowboys & Aliens Review

     With the over-abundance of films currently being made in Hollywood, it is no surprise that we've seen some rather interesting genre-blending as of late. Cowboys & Aliens is a good example of this mentality, and is a rather interesting blend of two rather distinct cinematic figures, but the question is, is it a good blend?

     Cowboys & Aliens is a film that tells the tale of a small town overtaken by a big threat, an extraterrestrial invasion. The film centers around Daniel Craig's nameless character, who finds himself in the middle of nowhere, with a strange alien device secured tightly around his wrist. As the city begins to come under attack by the odd creatures, Craig's nameless gunslinger must go to great lengths to uncover what has happened to him, and left him with no memory of past events.
     Craig's nameless hero is easily one of the best parts of the movie, as he channels Clint Eastwood's classic 'Man With No Name' persona, and is actually able to capture it rather well. Craig's conflicted hero keeps you interested, and the mystery enshrouding his character makes him rather fun to watch. He does well in a role that easily could have crashed and burned had he not been effective, but he pulls off the character with a convincing brutality that makes Craig one of the best parts of the film.
     Harrison Ford is also in the movie, and plays a cattle baron of sorts, rugged and gritty, a man shaped by the harsh environment he has battled to prosper in. Ford plays extremely well off of Craig, and seeing the two interact is truly a sight to see. Olivia Wilde plays a character with a mystery no dissimilar to Craig's, and does all she can in a role that seemed to be solely cast for looks. Of all the characters, hers feels the most one-dimensional, although this seems to be more due to a script that has some rather obvious weak points, rather than a shoddy acting job on her part. 
     The story is rather linear, and while it tries to take twists and turns, they're not overwhelmingly surprising or shocking, but the attempt is there. The story is fun, and is one that can be enjoyed somewhat mindlessly, as thinking too hard about portions of the film may have you shooting holes in the film's plot with a .38 revolver.
     Going in to a film entitled Cowboys & Aliens, you should have a good idea of what you're getting. The movie is nowhere near profound, but it certainly is enjoyable. While Cowboys & Aliens certainly isn't a film for kids, it's one that will re-awaken your inner-child, and have it smiling gleefully as a rugged band of gunslingers ride on full steam to clash with invaders from another planet.