Arizona, 1878. Desert. Hot sun. A lone cowboy comes to suddenly, gasping and injured, obviously confused. He has a shackle on his wrist and tries to break it open with a rock, to no avail. In the sand, he finds a piece of a photograph of a pretty young woman. As he’s puzzling over it, four men ride up behind him and say they’re headed for the town of Absolution and does he have any idea how far they are from it?
The cowboy (Daniel Craig), doesn’t speak. The four men wonder aloud if there’s a bounty on him and one of them gets off his horse, rifle in hand, and we suddenly discover the lone cowboy not only fights well, but the mysterious shackle on his wrist is some sort of weapon.
The dog that was with the four men follows the cowboy into Absolution, a town that lives in fear of Colonel Dolarhyde – Harrison Ford – and definitely doesn’t welcome strangers. We learn that the cowboy doesn’t have any memory of what his name is, who he is, what his past is. He’s a blank slate.
The cowboy isn’t in town very long before the sheriff (Keith Caradine) realizes that the photo on a wanted poster looks very much like the lone cowboy. His name is Jake Lonergan and he’s wanted for robbing a stage coach filled with gold and for the murder of a young woman. The sheriff and his boys enter the bar, where a mysterious woman is pestering Jake, asking him repeatedly if he remembers. The sheriff, of course, attempts to arrest Jake, a fight ensues in good ole Western style, and the mysterious woman is the one who knocks Jake out. As he’s being put into a stage coach later to be taken to the federal marshal, she approaches the coach and apologizes. “But it was the only way I could keep you here.”
The next scene is bizarre, unexpected, and riveting because you’re reminded it’s 1878, the Old West. Multiple lights appear at the end of the main road through town and people come out to watch, astonished, mesmerized. The lights grow larger, there’s some sort of percussive boom, and suddenly, multiple UFOs zoom over the town – and unleash a firestorm of destruction.
As people are diving for cover, dozens of them are whisked up into the air, the classic abduction scenario, except that they are lassoed by chains.
From IMDB, written by Universal:
“…Absolution is about to experience fear it can scarcely comprehend as the desolate city is attacked by marauders from the sky. Screaming down with breathtaking velocity and blinding lights to abduct the helpless one by one, these monsters challenge everything the residents have ever known. Now, the stranger they rejected is their only hope for salvation. As this gunslinger slowly starts to remember who he is and where he’s been, he realizes he holds a secret that could give the town a fighting chance against the alien force. With the help of the elusive traveler Ella, he pulls together a posse comprised of former opponents-townsfolk, Dolarhyde and his boys, outlaws and Apache warriors-all in danger of annihilation. United against a common enemy, they will prepare for an epic showdown for survival.”
This movie is such great fun, a classic western with stage coach robbers, Apaches, mean cowboys, and the intriguing twist of nasty aliens, who actually have a motive for being on Earth – they’re mining gold. The storytelling is tight, the pacing and conflict so perfect that your disbelief is suspended from the opening scenes. It has all the Spielberg touches – including a kid and a dog – and it’s great to see Harrison Ford as a gruff, aging cowboy with a few things to learn about his own humanity. Daniel Craig is ideally cast as the archetypal outsider.
Interestingly, we didn’t read any of the reviews before we went to see the movie, so when we got home, I checked them out. The very elements we enjoyed about the movie, reviewers tore apart. I love it when genres are mixed – the reviewers not so much. From the L.A. Times:
It’s hard to say what is most depressing about “Cowboys & Aliens” — the film itself, or the fact that this was the best movie a posse of major Hollywood players could come up with.
Our advice? Ignore the reviews. Cowboys and Aliens is a great, imaginative romp.
Here’s the trailer link: cowboys and aliens
What is the name of Nancy’s blog, please, guys? I can’t find it and want to read about November! Thanks!
life in the second half – click that on the right side of the blog
I saw the movie last weekend (spoiler-free, by the way), and absolutely LOVED it! Very engaging storyline, original premise, great action, plus it’s always nice to see Harrison Ford kicking a$$ in a cool, brimmed hat! 🙂
You gotta love Indy in a new role. I wish we knew more about the dog, though!
Have you guys all noticed now many new TV series and movies are coming out that have a metaphysical/spiritual basis? I mean, there are TONS of them waiting to be released! I don’t watch much TV, but may increase my watching time this season. Looks like some really cool shows. One is about a doctor who dies and is revived, only to discover that he then is able to see and communicate with dead people. Can’t recall the title, but it looks good. There are others. Lots and lots of others. Our numbers are growing!! 🙂
The one about the doc sounds great! Will have to check out new shows.
you’re so right, cj – they are everywhere on every channel – more and more of them coming –
It is at the top of my list. I never listen to the reviewers. They like all the movies I find boring and hate all the ones I like.
Maybe reviewers are as out of touch as politicians!
Good point!
ok – so has everyone here read nancy’s today’s post? and the links attached? and what do you think???????? my day started out fairly well but after reading all that, notwithstanding its great informative body, i was totally depressed! so is everyone out buying bottled water and radiation shields [like there is such a thing]!
and thank you nancy for alerting us – i had no idea of the november disaster issues! –
I read it the other day and haven’t checked any further on it. Maybe I will now. But hey, if the END is due in November, forget the radiation shields. Not interested in sticking around for that!
you guys still don’t get it,, the reviewers work for the industry,, if the movie’s good word of mouth will bring the people in,, if the movie not good well the the reviewers bring them in!!!!!!! it called bleepin MARKETING
Sounds fun, the release date for the UK is the 17th of August.
I loved it, too! Such fun. Poor reviewers– they forgot to have a good time.
Did they ever!
Daniel Craig and Harrison Ford. Nuff said.
Ditto. 🙂
I will definitely go check it out, based on your review, and the players themselves. How could it be bad?
ok – so from a gypsy’s perspective – the only review required was reviewing daniel craig and harrison ford in action – with carradine thrown in – that get down dirty daring dashing kinda dirty cowboy action – all touched by spielberg – i mean, what else is there to review? and THEN, to add those dynamic elements of a town called ABSOLUTION attacked by ALIENS and UFOS – all tossed together in the mixed genre basket – a no-reviewer for me! 😉
just waiting for it to be cast into circles – those dvd things –
great post –
oh, and i heard the funniest harrison ford story the other day – a true one from when he was a young thang! well, at least the person telling it says it was true and has a photo of harrison at the scene – more on that later –
The cast is great. The kid with the large soulful eyes is a winner, too.