Cowboys, Aliens and Indians

Last Saturday night my husband and I went to see "Cowboys and Aliens", which had just opened at our local 6-screen movie house.  Our choices were "Captain America" in 3-D (which I don't dare spent $$ on because I get motion sickness watching my kids' video games), the new Smurfs movie, which I wouldn't see on a bet, and a few others that we weren't interested in.  I didn't want to drive all the way into the city to have more choices and a better theater, so we settled for uncomfortable seats where, inevitably, a tall man would sit in front of me and slightly cheaper tickets, to be closer to home.

The movie, as you probably know, is a fascinating blend of the science fiction and western genres, based on a comic and graphic novel, starring Daniel Craig (I really enjoyed him as James Bond) and Harrison Ford (who doesn't like him?) as old west near-stereotypes.  Craig's character awakens in the desert, not sure who he is, and after easily dispatching a trio of bandits, makes his way into the nearest town.  Ford's character doesn't make an appearance right away, but when he does, he is the initial antagonist to Craig's protagonist.  He is a bully, a rich, stubborn, mean old man and it takes the alien invasion and kidnapping of his son to change his ways.

I liked the story, even the parts that were simple or reflective of previous films.  I read here about the detail that went into the clothing and guns and some other interesting facts about the film's casting and background.  Check it out.

I liked the involvement of the Native American Indians, it was (of course) a bit contrived, but it would have to be... there are aliens in the movie! 

Oh, and I really like Sam Rockwell in nearly everything I've seen him in.  I liked his character a lot in this movie.  He's the saloon owner, known as "Doc" (I assume he's also a doctor?) who is married to the most beautiful woman in town.  He is a spectacles-sporting target for bullies, but the chase and battle to rescue his wife from the aliens brings out his inner hero.  We all love a good story like that, don't we?

My husband and I had a couple of amused questions during the alien attack scenes.  Mine was "Why are aliens always able to move so much faster than humans?  And horses?"  and his was "And why do aliens always come with so much goo?"  The aliens in this film were reminiscent of the creatures in the 1979 movie "Alien", but unique.  They had an inner set of hands that came out of the chest (where a large two-chambered heart visibly beat), dripping with slime.  Of course, they bled green and screeched and popped up unexpectedly (yes, I leaped a few inches more than once...).  So, they were a bit cliche, but I was okay with that.

The movie was good, but I think I prefer super heroes to aliens... then again, I do like Craig... wonder when they'll find him a latex suit.  His pants in "Cowboys and Aliens" were nearly as tight as a Superman or Spiderman costume...