Jesus. This movie is so overwhelmingly mediocre. C&A is a prime example of Hollywood cashing in on overly bland and unoriginal movies that have so much hype built up on them (and a ridiculously unnecessary budget). Jon Favreau is an extremely overrated director with no originality whatsoever. Boring cinematography. Boring script. Boring editing. Seen-that-before action sequences. And questionable casting (Olivia Wilde with her im-trying-too-hard-to-be-serious expressions and dialogue, and Daniel Craig, the Englishman who you can easily tell is trying oh so hard to cover up his accent). The story is FULL of action movie cliches that make the following scenes hugely predictable. The Aliens: not scary, that **** has been done before, and MUCH better. Favreau tries to make the movie out to be epic and dramatic, but it sadly ends up being another run-of-the-mill ****ty summer action movie. But, I'm sure this movie will gross millions and millions of dollars and the "public" will say that it's a "great movie, so entertaining and funny!" and blah blah blah. The dialogue is boring as hell and some scenes are so over-acted that it almost feels as if they are making a parody of themselves. If you have any sense of the many possible quality that defines a movie as "good", stay away from this one. If you want to sit for two hours and have your intelligence insulted with unoriginality and bland mediocrity, go see it. I was anxiously waiting for this movie to come to its predictable, dumb ending, so I could GTFO out the theater.
I know that this movie was intended to be just an entertaining summer blockbuster, but jesus, actually make it worth my time and bring SOMETHING new to the table. This movie had virtually nothing to offer, which ultimately made it completely unentertaining and pointless.… Expand

When I read Roger Ebert's review of this, it went something like this, "Why couldn't this have just been a western?" At the time, I thought that was kind of a harsh review, since I know of his childhood bias toward western cinema. He's right though. This totally could have stood on it's own without science fiction assistance. Daniel Craig is so f***ing cool in this movie. Harrison Ford is too. It's almost like too many dope actors got trapped in 'ordinary film syndrome'. Please don't misunderstand, I liked this movie, and I had fun watching it. I think people beat up Olivia Wilde too hard. She is very beautiful, but this role didn't really exploit her talents correctly. I could go on and on about the ways modern film makes female leads ineffective, compared to their 20th century counterparts, but that's a whole other thing. Bottom line, this was fun. Go see it. :]… Expand

This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. First of all the alien abduction at the town was AWESOME! The entire first half of the film was actually very enjoyable! However after leaving the destroyed ship the film went downhill fast for me personally. The whole plot twist of the girl being some kind of weird alien race killed it. I like a movies story to make sense and hers just did not at all, maybe it should have been explained better. Then a few other issues like the Aliens being unstoppable all of a sudden die from headshots and spears and a 6 inch blade! Aside from that Daniel Craig and Harrison Ford did an amazing job together, I wouldnt say avoid this movie but it could have been sooo much better thats why it scores a 5.… Expand

Cowboys & Aliens is very entertaining. Is it art? No. It's just great commercial entertainment. It's an exciting, funny, scary way to spend a couple of hours. It's shot beautifully. The casting is first rate. The faces on the old west guys are worth the price of admission. It's not nearly as good a film as the first Alien movie, but it has a lot of the same scary/entertaining qualities. If you want to have a fun ride on a Friday night or Saturday afternoon this the movie to see. Should you see it now or wait until it's available to rent? See it in a theater. The sound and visual effects demand a big screen. You can rent it later. Because you'll want to see it again.… Expand

Cowboys & Aliens is a mess. Like Wild Wild West level mess. Ridiculous story, incomprehensible + lazy script, not nearly fun or funny enough. Takes itself too seriously and has more than a few outright boring stretches. I hate stories that aren't thought out properly and cover it with lazy, convenient bailouts in the script. Watch out for the exposition and "twists" in regards to one of the main characters in the second half of the film...its a doozy. Aliens aren't horrible but aren't scary and their motives are off-the-wall stupid. SPOILER ALERT - They be huntin' for some gold out in these here hills! Not even Craig and Ford can save this, in fact, they never really get a chance, because it's not about them. And that's a problem. I'm not even the biggest fan of westerns (more of a sci-fi guy) but I kept yearning for an old-school western with Craig (less Bond, more gunslinger) going up against the dastardly villain Ford (he starts out that way, but by the end...well, it's complicated...in an Oprah/Dr. Phil kind of way). Want a sci-fi/western mashup with cowboys and aliens done right? Go watch Firefly/Serenity.… Expand

The western part of this movie is spectacular. On the other hand, the sci fi part of this movie was way below par. I am a sci fi fan and all but this movie just didn't meet my standards

Very formulatic despite very appealing special effects and acting.

The first 35 minutes is fantastic. Then the next hour is a talk fest. Then a bunch of disjointed scenes trying to be serious without the tongue and cheek humor that holds Iron Man together. If you want to see a bold experiment, then see this movie. If you want to see a good movie.... well that is something else. I knew there were problems when the opening credits listed 5 scriptwriters and a ton of producers. Everything put something in but it is just that, a bunch of stuff. Harrison Ford should have sat this one out; it was like he didn't even prepare until he got to the set.… Expand

This actually wasn't that bad of a movie. Sure, it lacked in a few minor elements, but overall, it was worth $10.50. The suspense was the only thing that lacked for me. No "edge-of-your-seat" moments. But what was lost there made up for in beautiful landscapes and epic battle sequences. This was one of the better summer movies of 2011.

Its a western with extreme stereotype characters caught in a series of outlandish and entertaining scenes. Frankly I think if it had less A-listers the expectation would have been lower and the ratings would have been higher. Shame, because it is entertaining thru and thru; good vs. evil, love vs greed, humans vs the cosmos, popcorn action at its best. C&A is funny, entertaining, scary, and even daft at times, but again with the intent to entertain. With a better back story to the central character and a grittier ending I would have given it a 10.… Expand

It offers great performances from Daniel Craig and Olivia Wilde not so much Ford and it is very entertaining, but sadly the two genres do not blend well thanks to the Director. And offers some just dumb twists along with it. I give this movie 52%.

There's only one real problem with "Cowboys & Aliens." It's not very much fun. The characters are developed decently well for a summer movie, Daniel Craig and Harrison Ford excel as cowboy tough guys, and the story has the potential to be a fun summer ride. But director Jon Favreau and his 5 screenwriters squander that fun by not giving the cast much to do. The action is sparse, and when there is action, it consists of Craig pointing and shooting at aliens like a live action game of "Area 51." Oh, and there's also some cowboys running away from a series of explosions. I admire the fact that they were wanting to make a serious alien invasion movie, but just because you're making something serious does not mean it can't also be fun. That's what the makers seem to have forgotten. The movie starts out strong when its strictly a western, but once the aliens come to invade, it becomes a dull adventure.… Expand

This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. [Spoilers within...] I'm a big fan of westerns and of alien movies, but this particular combination of the two just didn't do it for me. What I like about westerns is feeling that hatred of the truly evil antagonist. Harrison Ford initially assumes that role, which is difficult because we identify with him as the good guy in so many films. He eventually redeems himself and makes the good guy conversion. The aliens are not bad enough to make you hate them like you normally would a Western baddie. They didn't engage me in the least. Not nearly as scary as the Alien creatures they looked a bit like. The use of Olivia Wilde was a little too "out there" for my liking. Her resurrection left my head spinning a bit. The movie has some serious pacing problems toward the middle stretch. And the "explosion" at the end - was that meant to look like another very famous explosion from about 1986?? And if so, I'm a little confused about the purpose. Anyway, I wanted to like this movie because Favreau is such a great movie guy and a solid director, but this material just didn't work. And Daniel Craig? Nope.… Expand

This is close to the worst film I have ever seen. Good cast that should be ashamed of themselves. Beyond-cliched Western characters, grafted on aliens plot, and the most infuriating attemps to manipulate with "touching" moments that haven't been remotely earned. The definition of polished turd.

This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. The Mayans disappeared. Not all of them, but the unaccounted for Mesoamerican people, who once populated 9th century Middle America, numbered in the millions. It's a mystery that, despite the best conjectures from leading archaeological experts, remains inconclusively solved, as to what exactly caused the sudden depletion in ranks of this culturally influential people. Their disappearance, to this day, is the subject of much innuendo, mostly involving little green men from outer space. "Apocalypto", the 2006 ethnographic fever dream that wakes itself up on a rain-soaked beach, disappointingly turns its back on the long-held speculation over flying saucers, as the three men, sworn enemies from opposing tribes, stop their chasing, when their local conflict gets usurped by quasi-cosmic one, floating out in the ocean. It's not UFOs, but Spanish voyaging ships, yet to the Mayans back on shore, the sea vessels carry the same impact as a fleet of interplanetary spacecrafts, and the white men encroaching upon the shoreline in rowboats, likewise, might as well be aliens, since this is their first contact with beings from outside the people's hermetically-sealed world. Potentially, "Apocalypto" had the makings of a period piece science-fiction movie, but its fidelity to historically ethnographic accuracy inhibits the film's full pulp potential. However, due to the filmmaker's propensity for Grand Guignol spectacle, an alien invasion, in spite of the edifying presence of real locations and spoken indigenous languages , wouldn't be at all antithetical to the movie's form, because in actuality, "Apocalypto" is a genre picture(action-adventure), surprisingly lowbrow, dressed up in the academic clothing of a pre-civilized setting. It should have been "Mayans & Aliens". Some 100 years ago, three Australian girls disappeared. Only one of them would return alive from the "Picnic at Hanging Rock". Irma remembers nothing, the same refrain you hear from alien abductees, Jake Lonergan included, who wakes up on the prairie like a high plains drifter with amnesia. Whereas there is no ambiguity about an otherworldly presence in "Cowboys & Aliens"(whose mash-up of genres plays like a soundstage that the cast from "Blazing Saddles" forgot to crash), Peter Weir's 1975 film about the mysterious happenings at Mt. Macedon on Valentine's Day at the turn of the 20th century, implies that aliens could be the cause of the tragedy that beset Appleyard College. Although the film is not widely recognized as science fiction, the narrative has enough proximate tropes to suggest "Schoolgirls & Aliens", made all the more odder by the same period pre-industrial setting as its unaware(and less subtle) successor, in regard to the disparate melding of the historical and the fantastical. Back at the school, before the girls depart for the campgrounds, Miranda tells Sarah, "I won't be here much longer", which by itself, would seem to indicate that graduation time is fast-approaching, but at the picnic site, just before the girls take their leave, Mlle de Poitiers apperceives in the fair girl an otherness, clarifying to Miss McCraw how she knows that "Miranda is a Botticelli angel," or in other words, not terrestrial-based, which turns the plaintive admission among roommates back at the dormitory into a secret. Miranda, in retrospect is telling Sarah that she's returning "home". For the holiday-themed picnic, the girls bring along a pink heart-shaped cake, which Miranda cuts violently with a large knife, straight down the middle on what is, in essence, a representational human organ, as if rehearsing for future medical experiments, aboard the spaceship hidden in, or above, the rock formations. Like Ella(Olivia Wilde) in "Cowboys & Aliens", the prettiest girl turns out to be an extra-terrestrial. Emerging from a nap at the rock base, it's indeed Miranda who leads the other girls into a narrow passageway, except for Edith, who shouts, "When are we going home?" to her unhearing peers, gripped in a trance-like state, before she shrieks at something off-screen, which sends her running from the abduction site in an aerial shot that suggests the girls are flying above her. This outcome was presaged. Earlier in the hike, Miranda advises Edith to "look not down at the ground, but up in the sky." For reasons unknown, Irma is sent back, but not without evidence of a possible alien probe; her corset is missing. While Jake proved to be unsuccessful in saving his wife aboard the alien ship, Michael brings back Irma, using Hanging Rock, perhaps, as a portal. Now, better than the rest, she knows how the Aborigines felt when the Europeans colonized Australia, similar to the Absolution denizens, who probably would echo Edith's notion about being "the only living creatures in the whole world," in effect, dismissing the Indians outright. Alas, both groups of white people too learn the Mayan lesson that "we're not alone".… Expand

The title tells you right up front how ridiculous this movie will be, so don't get upset if you can't take it seriously. With that being said, I found the movie to be slickly entertaining with strong performances by Ford and Craig in the lead roles. It's pure escapist entertainment despite the efforts of the entire cast to play it as serious as possible and somehow it all works.

Two hours of high budget and top talent backed by the biggest pillars of the industry, Cowboys and Aliens fails at nearly EVERY level. I was surprised to read Jon Favreau say, "It was very well laid out, well planned, and there were a lot of discussions with a lot of actors who called me to task on things that seemed too convenient, so we made sure we earned each step." Really? That shocks me considering this movie moves at a snail's pace, is full of the worst dialogue and embarrassingly wastes some of the strongest acting talent there is. This movie is bad. So MUCH of it is too convenient and if it was PLANNED that way, then shame on Ron Howard, Steven Spielberg, Brian Grazer, Jon Favreau, Harrison Ford, Daniel Craig, Sam Rockwell and a host of very well-known character actors who deserved better than this 2-hour monstrosity.… Expand

The concept is unique, but it's mired down in a conventional formula that even includes a little boy and a dog. Daniel Craig (steely-eyed and tough) and Harrison Ford (in a bad guy role) team up to fight the hostile visitors from outer space. Between the slow parts, there are chases, explosions and firefights, but none of them are original or special. The effects are adequate, as is the movie in general.… Expand

Loud and slow, and in terrible need of a script. Great cast that is wasted on a bad story. The pace of the film was also choppy at the best of times. The shame is if it was better written it could have been a lot of fun. Also, I don't think the creative team ever watched a real western.

Cowboys & Aliens is a bit of a mixed bag. It opens strong with a distinct western flavor but when the aliens turn up, it gets a bit choppier. I love sci-fi, but I can't help thinking that Cowboys & Aliens was a lot more interesting when it was just Cowboys. That said, it's uniqueness pulls it through and it winds up as a solid splurge of B-movie shlock.

I liked this movie more than I thought I would. Although it left me feeling like I needed more aliens and much less cowboys. I felt that the aliens weren't well defined. One day you could unload a full revolver into them with no effect and other times one shot could kill them. They stay underground because they don't see well in light but when they come out in bright daylight they kill just as good as they do in the dark. Supposedly there's only one scout craft but they find a steam ship "500 miles away from any river big enough to hold it". The flash backs seem out of place and don't give you enough info to actually care about his past. Other than all of that it has the right amount of humor, fights, death, strange drugs, and explosions. Its a pretty good movie after you look past all the things I found wrong with it.… Expand

I truly hope that the reviews of this movie do not affect its box office performance. This was a wonderfully entertaining summer movie, never intended to win any academy awards (except possibly for SFX) that was the greatest fun I've had with aliens since Independence Day. This movie made me feel like a kid again, and I simply can't wait to see it. Well done to EVERYONE involved in this movie's production.… Expand

A pure Western to the core! This film is so beautifully filmed and the genre mash-up works very well. The aliens are great and Craig plays an excellent cowboy. Ford is perfect as ever. This film is just plain fun and it is definitely worth price for admission. Yep, this one will be in my blu-ray collection!

The movie has great action, plot, and character growth. The aspect of memory loss in the main character helped the plot grow. It was nice to see a western movie, and alians didn't add a bad touch. In all honesty, i don't believe this movie deserves a 10, but it doesn't deserve anything below a 7

Cowboys & Aliens is quite awful even by the standards of summer blockbusters. I was pretty keen to see it based on the ridiculous premise - I expected something mad, completely over-the-top, and most importantly, fun. In reality, it's none of these. The first half of the film tries to play it straight, as a fairly traditional western - a mysterious outsider arrives in a frontier town and finds the inhabitants down-trodden by criminals and corrupt officials. Then the aliens arrive and the film turns into Independence Day with horses. And the only way to describe the finale is unintentionally hilarious. The film should have turned out better, as there's some real talent behind it. Director Jon Favreau proved with Iron man that he could produce an exceedingly good fun action movie, and even Iron Man 2 occasionally raised a smile despite its inconsistency. Daniel Craig has had both hits and misses in his acting career, and he's not bad at all in this as the amnesiac protagonist, but Harrison Ford disappoints, appearing to be in various states of constipation in every scene, and Olivia Wilde is as dire as she always is. The only actor to make any lasting impression is Sam Rockwell, who plays a timid and depressed saloon owner. Not only does the film offer bad acting, but a terrible script (a real achievement considering 5 writers worked on it at some point or another) an overly meandering plot, dull action and a truly unforgiving run-time. I never expected Cowboys & Aliens to be original (just look at the title!) or compelling, or anything close to approaching a great film, but I at least expected it to be fun. It's not, and that's the greatest crime - it's a summer blockbuster without fun. All I can say for it is that Rockwell is good, Craig is acceptable, and the film has a single great moment - when our amnesiac protagonist first wakes up, but before we're subjected to the torture of watching the rest of the film.… Expand

Instead of building up the massive long fight scenes that take up the running time they decided to make up a story that was pointless and didn't do anything to change the overall tone of the movie.

The story line could be great but the actors were bad. Daniel Crag and Harisson Ford acted like a 10-year-old and made the film ridiculous. But I was kinda satisfied with the supporting cast.

I really want to write a review for this movie because of such mixed reception.
If you are able to just sit back, relax, and enjoy a film about Cowboys against Aliens, then you are certainly able to have a ton of fun watching this film. If you are a nosy critic who whines at every historical inaccuracy or takes a heavy sigh every time something doesn't appeal to an Oscar worthy taste, then this movie is DEFINITIVELY not for you. I for one, love adventure films and sci-fi films and a thought that Cowboys and Aliens blended the two together well. I had FUN, is what I'm saying. The battle scenes are plenty intense and the action heated up rather well towards the end. The characters in this picture, while thin, are still worth rooting for and each actor gives a solid performance.
A few people have complained about the aliens, saying that they weren't engaging or interesting enough. I thought that they were rather unique. They were large and intimidating, yet speedy and frightening. If they had given the aliens more intelligence or character, it would've made the movie drawn out and tiring. I believe that they way they had kept it was good enough for the audience. Really, the main problem that I had with the film is that the dialogue tends to fall flat throughout the script. In fact, the whole script could have used another solid draft before making the final cut. The writers clearly have not seen enough "real" westerns like "The Good, The Bad and The Ugly" and "True Grit" to know how to make a truly engaging environment. PLEASE don't take my review as "It was big, loud and dumb but I had FUN so go see it!" There are WAY too many movies like that around nowadays. I also think that the critic reviews were low because of the Christian elements in this film. The pastor character in this film speaks his mind throughout his performance and gives a strong impression to the other characters. This alone is probably why so many critics didn't like the general character interaction within the film. . I seriously thought that this movie had good content and action to compile a great film. But PLEASE don't go into the theater expecting an Oscar worthy spectacle of Cowboys fighting Aliens. With this attitude, you will be disappointed. This is a great film. You just have to have the right attitude going in.
Thanks for reading!
Follow me on Twitter @PaulCalebCanyon… Expand

Cowboys & too many Aliens...begins well but ends up as a Spielberg cliché

There is a certain amount of assurance you expect when you know that the film involves Daniel Craig, Harrison Ford, Spielberg and Favreau. The film in the end delivered only that much.

Daniel Craig shines out of dirt, looks good and acts very well as a rough & tough cowboy. The initial build up works very well, raises the expectation, raises it further with Harrison Ford in a new befitting character of a veteran cowboy/colonel. Then, enter the aliens, i liked it to begin with but then found my fingers getting crossed. In next 20 odd minutes it made me feel that this cowboys+aliens experiment is now trying to satisfy only the kids in the theater. The initial feel good fizzled into a cliché sci-fi flick. Nevertheless, i enjoyed myself going through the experiment, watching the cowboy part, lovely flying machines & cinematography. To conclude with it could be an amazing film had the aliens part treated as subtly as Daniel Craig in his cowboy avatar. Perhaps the way M Night Shyamlan did in the Signs.… Expand

My initial reaction after the movie was "What the hell did I just watch?" My summary is: James Bond travels back in time and meets Indiana Jones, when ET and friends comes out of nowhere and trys to kill them. Oh, and there is some chick in the movie, I can't remember what her name is.

I really feel this was one of the most boring and uneventful films I have ever seen. Why Would anybody make this film. I just don't understand. BAD BAD BAD BAD BAD BAD BAD BAD BAD BAD BAD BAD BAD

Cowboys & Aliens is like a food with dust and yes the dust is the Aliens . Its kinda kinda disappointing . and all that goes to the story . Its really bad and once again proved that Western and Si-Fi doesn't get along at all . Acting was good . Good to see Ford and Craig together . Direction was 50/50 but Jon is better then this . The western part was good . I liked that little town . But The alien part sucked big time. So don't make a Cowboy movie with Aliens .… Expand

All the worst cliches of a western: bad buy rancher and outsider. Deposed sheriff. Frontier town. All the worst cliches of a science fiction movie: screeching aliens, drool, plot to take over the world, fateful flaw, sleep mode. If it was parody, I missed the point. Really, really bad. I have seen worse. Noisy, though, with lots of explosions if that is your thing.

It started good, then everything ends so bad, george harrison is excelent has always, but Steven Spielberg should stop producing such bad movies i mean he is just gettin a bad rank with movies like this

I confess I rented this DVD with low expectations. This was the summer blockbuster that couldn't get itself arrested, not by Doc, the Sheriff, or Colonel Dolarhyde. If it weren't for the international market, they would have never even covered their budget with the box office sales. I remember Jay Leno asking Daniel Craig, "So what is Cowboys and Aliens about?" and the reply was, "It's about cowboys and aliens." That boy needs to have his interviews scripted. As soon as he's out there on the loose, he uses the f-word in every possible grammatical form--adjective, adverb, noun, gerund, and present participle. I expected the real Daniel Craig to be difficult, abrupt, moody, passionate, ... but inarticulate? And he still won't tell the press how he pulled off that secret wedding. (Quote: "I'm not going to f---ing tell you.") But does anyone really care? I don't. In any case, the wonder of it was that this was actually a good movie. There was tension, surprises, spectacular special effects, a love interest, and the bad guys were big, dumb aliens. The title is slightly inaccurate--it's actually, Cowboys and Indians and Aliens. They couldn't have done it without a band of Native Americans fighting at their side. There's even a Message to the Film. What will it take to unite the world and get everyone to stop fighting with each other? An invasion from outer space, of course. It works like a charm. Harrison Ford earned some critical demerits for looking perpetually grim, but it was in keeping with the character. The little boy was a necessary cliche, but it was great to see him grow up in a flash. Even the dog was a good actor. And Paul Dano is a very un-Hollywood type actor and very talented. Daniel Craig as Jake Lonergan, a name which gives a hint about his character (something like Loner-again) is impressively effective as an American cowboy who is a force to be reckoned with. He's certainly not Bond in this film, although he does have one fancy electronic gadget that he wears as a bracelet. Electronic gadgets didn't exist in the Wild West, so obviously he borrowed the trinket from a passing extraterrestrial, if only he could remember who. He's forgotten who he is, which gets him into a lot of trouble, but Ella (Olivia Wilde), who looks too pale and wide-eyed to be human, is convinced he can recall everything if he just tries hard enough. In the end, the film holds your attention, is entertaining, and has good actors.… Expand

I really wanted to like this movie but I just couldn't. Throughout the whole movie I was just wishing that I was watching a regular western with this cast. The cast being really the only redeeming thing about this movie at all.

At first I thought, woah, this seems like a pretty ridiculous movie. The aliens would just pulverize the cowboys but I thought hey, it'll be a good laugh i'll rent it anyway. and boy was I surprised, it was actually a pretty good film, the story was pretty good and made you think about it and the fight scenes were also rather well made. I don't see why people are rating it down so much, it's a good film.… Expand

Overall, i did not enjoy this movie, the storyline is ridiculous and the aliens look poorly created. there is a reason why people do not make sci-fi/western movies and i think this film shows you just why

This movie wasnt really that entertaining, and the fact that parts were alright, is the reason why this got as high as it is. The plot was virtually nonexistent, the aliens were overall sub par. I dont recommend this movie, if you want to watch it anyway go ahead im not going to say dont i just dont recommend it

Although Cowboys and Aliens featured some decent performances, it lacked the energy of a good action flick or the intellectual depth of a decent sci-fi film.

Based on a recent graphic novel of the same name, the concept of cowboys battling aliens is certainly a novel one but it doesn't really work for me. I expected more intrigue from a screenwriting team including Damon Lindelof. What you get if you cross a John Wayne film with Independence Day



I'm not sure if Jon Favreau and Universal Studios were trying to pitch this as a new Indiana Jones but Daniel Craig is not nearly likeable enough with his stereotypically surly cowboy. Ford is suitably gritty as the veteran gun-slinger finding his softer side. Granted there are some exciting scenes but overall it falls pretty flat in merging the two polar genres. One scene where Craig carries Olivia Wilde in his arms until he collapses in exhaustion simply made me want to watch True Grit instead.… Expand

This is by no means an amazing film. The plot is mostly predictable, the dialogue is cliched, the characters are pretty bland. However this does not make it a bad film. The performances from Harrison Ford and Daniel Craig were surprisingly good and the action scenes were mildly exciting. All in all, a film that can provide some light entertainment. However if you're looking for a ground breaking film, look elsewhere.… Expand

It was Better than I thought but still was not good. Cowboys a Aliens 5.5/10

Cowboys and Aliens is a film about farmers with RPGS fighting an earth shattering war against aliens that supposedly kill people with the giant penises according to my brother and his friend. I got bored as soon as the first load of of bandits came along after Daniel Craig tried to get Ben 10's omnitrix off his arm. I didn't really know what was going on and am curerently writing this review while watching the film. Everyone has the same Cowboy personalities we've seen before and I now wish I was watching a film about Farmer John and his RPGn taking on the blind Alien Paedophiles in an Earth shattering war. This emotional bit on right now with Farmer John 2 dying only means my brother going on about how he hates this film and Farther John being kidnapped and sexually abused by the Aliens. I'm bored now… Expand

So much has been made of this film but in truth, it is a pretty poor film. Daniel Craig gives a pretty good performance and obviously Olivia Wilde is gorgeous but neither is good enough to lift this film out of the dumps. I was pretty shocked considering Jon Favreau has directed some very good action films.

Fun popcorn summer movie, nothing more and nothing less. The fact that five writers are credited with script credits likely leads to the film's muddied plot.

I was super excited to see 'Cowboys & Aliens'. I never read the comic book that the film was based on, but I absolutely loved the concept of cowboys duking it out with aliens. The fact that the director of 'Iron Man' was behind the director's chair also had me psyched. While I certainly got a solid movie out of it, I was expecting more. The film never is as fun as you might expect, and that probably has to do with how serious the film is in tone. Harrison Ford and Daniel Craig are great, the special effects are pretty good, and the blending of western and science fiction elements is done well. If the film let itself loose and didn't take itself as serious as it did, it could have been a lot more fun. With that being said, it's a fine film overall.… Expand

It is an entertaining film, has its dull moments, but overall okay.

I actually liked this. I found the concept extremely interesting, I had no idea what to expect from combining two polar opposite genres, the Western and Sci-fi, but overall, this worked I thought. This film is much more Western than Sci-Fi, and I think that one of the best things about it. The characters, story, setting, scenery, cinematography, dialogue...it's all very western, which I really liked. Aliens capture some civilians, and some citizens go to the rescue. It's simple and it worked. The characters are completely likable, and the cast is brilliant, all giving good performances. Daniel Craig, Harrison Ford, Sam Rockwell, Paul Dano, Olivia Wilde...they were all excellently cast, and they deliver! The cinematography and costumes were good. And the special effects were good! So overall, I have very little to complain about!… Expand

Cowboys and Aliens is dazzling as VFX if you add but people that work at Empire Magazine that say this movie is good and giving it a 80 is never worth it. I have watched so much movies in my live but never seen someone making a mock of Harrison Ford and Daniel Craig so bad and adding aliens in the plot. Jon Faverau has made a great movie called Iron Man, so why doesn't he keep making movies like that!? I mean the story and plot were okay and the acting was brilliant but nothing more! It's bland through 15 minutes and bores! Craig doesn't do that well as an outlaw! The plot was dumb and good at the same time. ONE TIME WATCH ONLY.… Expand

Sometimes movies are not that interesting to me that gives me no pleasure to enjoy every movie that is original or fun, but only one that is so fun that gives you a lot energy to enjoy the pleasure of great popcorn flick. That's what I'm talking about the movie called Cowboys & Aliens is good cowboy movie that shows great special effects (without no 3D, thanks to joy of 2D), the characters are badass including Daniel Craig and Harrison Ford, the western action is fun and it brings the old school of western cliches that even in Rango and True Grit could be combine into an awesome flick, and genre stays a perfect script and thanks to Jon Favreau who help this movie to be a best popcorn flick of western pulp fun. Enjoy this decent and clever film that people will not enjoy if they see those dumb movies that they want to enjoy.… Expand

This movie is very much a western with an obvious. very different twist. Watching this movie brought back the feelings and excitement of past western favorites like The Outlaw Josie Wales, and Silverado; mainly due to the slew of great character actors and the atmosphere they bring to all good movies. I know that people will say "too ridiculous" and" why add science fiction?". Well, the alien aspect IS very different, but I liked that it appears, and is taken by the townsfolk at face value; basically, there's a new villain in town. I say kick back and enjoy it. Aliens did not just appear in the 20th century (or am I getting my history confused?) I like that the movie just "is" and does away with over explanations. It begins right away with interest in the main characters, and continues with the energy and twists that keep it moving. To me, this movie, along with Captain America, and Super 8 allow you to get into the characters and then get involved with the action and special effects; not the other way around. I like it better that way.… Expand

I liked the trailer. To my surprise gf did too. So we went. And i have to say, this is a great fun movie. Does exactly what it says on the packet. Yes it's a stupid title and a wacky mash-up concept, but I just really enjoyed it. Great cast of attractive ppl, great effects, pretty straight-forward if unusual plot. Good ****

How could someone pour a lot of money into something so bad? Aliens and cowboys? What were they smoking? Talk about genre cliche after cliche. One of the year's worst big budget movies not even redeemed by decent acting.

It's forgettable,but one thing's for sure:It's a hell of a lot of fun too!I wasn't too crazy about seeing this when I first heard about it,but going in too see it changed my mind about this movie otherwise.Action seems a little forced sometimes and doesn't quite flow naturally,but for the most part it's and entertaining and wild ride from start to finish.James Bond goes western and manages to pull it off near perfectly.And of course,Indiana Jones STILL knows how to kick butt whether it be aliens or indians.Good to have ya back again Dr.Jones!And last but not least we can't forget Quorra(Tron Legacy)who pulls off a great western act in this as well.The cast is great,the action is great for the most part,and it's just all around entertaining!You won't be disappointed action fans!Come on and go on a thrill ride with this movie!… Expand

Simply put, if you do not like Cowboys or Aliens there is no reason to see this film. If you are, like me, an aficionado of both western films and science fiction, the movie delivers on most fronts. Daniel Craig is appropriately badass in the lead role and Harrison Ford turns in a good performance as well. Olivia Wilde does the best she can with an underwritten role, including one moment that was so ridiculous it made me laugh out loud. Other than the occasional cliche hiccup the film is very satisfying ONLY if you would normally go to a movie called Cowboys and Aliens… Expand

As a science fiction film, "Cowboys & Aliens" is pretty average - there's nothing too special about the aliens themselves, and the action is standard. But C&A is, more than anything, a Western. The actors play their parts perfectly, and not once did the whole "Aliens in the Old West" thing seem like a gimmick. The film does not rely on cowboy cliches but is actually able to develop the characters, and the setting, in its own way. It's plenty of fun.… Expand

If you believe in aliens, then you know they have been around and visited the planet in other times, so why not a movie about them visiting earth during the wild west period? Makes sense to me. The movie works because it is played straight up, no camp, no comedy. I liked the first half of the movie better than the second half when it turns into your basic alien shoot-em-up, but it is still attention grabbing and fun even then. I do get tired of Hollywood portraying aliens as slobbery, dripping beasts with fangs and claws that don't even verbally communicate with one another, but I guess we're stuck with that. You also have to open your mind to other silliness such as the aliens using a lasso to capture their victims while flying in their saucers at high speed. Seems kind of low-tech for such a superior being. Harrison Ford and Daniel Craig are terrific and the supporting cast is at their level as well. Overall an entertaining summer movie.… Expand

Why not combine western and aliens for once. First off, that's a good idea, something new and refreshing. Though, this movie could have been alot better in that regard. It's starts off quite slowly, getting more interesting near the middle and fails in the end. The story that goes behind the aliens being on earth for a specific reason is just plain simple, too simple for my tastes. It's pretty obvious that they concentrated more in action sequences regarding the aliens than storytelling... basicly you don't know much about them. About the main characters: Harrison Ford and Daniel Graig perform very well. They both have interesting characters that add more feeling to the storytelling. The third main character, played by Olivia Wilde, is not that well written and doesn't realy fit in these bunch of characters, it wouldn't have changed much if they just dropped her out of the picture. In the end, I'm abit disappointed... they could've done much more with this concept.… Expand

I think that this movie is great fun. There is one minor character who caused some problems for me, but overall this movie was very enjoyable on all fronts. I think that the reason that the rating on this movie is so low is because it is genre bending, and many people do not like that at all.

The first time I heard the title '' Cowboys & Aliens '' I laugh, because it sounded so ridiculous. After seeing it, I was impressed how it turned out to be. This movie offers cool characters (like Jake Lonergan played by Daniel Craig), great action, great acting and it's ridiculously awesome, since cowboys are fighting against aliens. Yes, it may be silly at first, but it managed to stay '' serious ''. There were some parts that they were just talking, some people could find that boring. The movie started really well, so well that anyone could get easily captivated by the story. It makes you think about the situation and you just want to find out the truth. The movie really focus on the cowboys, which surprised me. It's great because it still have that small western ambiance. Also, Olivia Wilde locked incredibly hot. She should get arrested for that, because she distracts me. Anyway, it's very enjoyable, definitely worth watching. I might even see it again.… Expand

I do not remember. combining cowboys and aliens, not very good idea but the movie was 35% fun, not better, not worse, I do not like daniel Creig reminds me of Vin Diesel, the last total disgust.

This is also from my Rotten Tomatoes review:
Well this film was quite a good one. The acting was good, the story was decent and the aliens were quite scary and gruesome. So does it all add up well in the end? Well in my opinion it does and as a result it turns out to be a good watch. It isn't as good as the classic Iron Man is but it's still a very good film. Daniel Craig, Harrison Ford and even Olivia Wilde are very good in this movie. This is the best role and acting Olivia Wilde has done in my opinion. Heck even the kid from The Last Airbender was quite good in this which is a huge step forward for him. I hope he gets inroled in better films in the future. Another good thing is that the aliens weren't C.G.I. for 100% of the time even though they were C.G.I. for most of it. So they actually put some effort into everything in this film and in my opinion it is way better than the critics and most of the audience put it. But the only problem I had with this film was that it could have been a little bit longer. But that's not a problem since most of the time you're having good fun. So I'm giving this film a 9/10 for being a good science fiction movie but being a litte bit short as well.… Expand

Sure it won't win any Oscars, and the pace is a little choppy as others have mentioned, but overall I still thought this was passable and worth of a 6/10. I didn't regret watching it, and the concept is different. These days its all remakes, reboots and bad sequels, so it was good to see something a little more original onscreen. Daniel Craig was great but his accent was a little all over the place. I wasn't sure if this was a film issue or an issue with the actual lighting during production but the outdoor sequences at times noticeably changed in saturation and exposure. Aside from that what can I say, if you like cowboys and if you like aliens, you'll probably like this. There are some great action sequences and heartfelt moments between with Harrison Ford's character. It's not a must see, but it's not total rubbish either.… Expand

The title says it all. There's cowboys. And there's aliens. Not anything more than that. Cowboys and Aliens basically takes every cliche from the two genres and sticks them into one movie. This movie carries nothing more than star power. There's a weak script, some poor acting, and an extremely predictable plot that carried plenty of holes. The one bright point in this movie was Daniel Craig (Harrison Ford was even disappointing) who put on a decent performance, though nothing close to Road To Perdition or Casino Royale. Skip this movie, just another mindless summer blockbuster.… Expand

A strangely enjoyable movie that can be humorous and action packed, but surprisingly never cheesy even with the fact that it's just one big goofy idea, it succeeds because it takes itself seriously even when it could just give in and be a campy flick, it ca be a bit predictable at times but in the end comes together to be a highly enjoyable movie that I can't help but recommend.

A good if not great summer blockbuster. The very fact that it tries to be a little different is worthy enough of checking this one out. I really liked the western first half and the second sci-fi half was OK. Great cast and the director Jon Favreau does a good job of holding it all together and it looks beautiful. I really liked Daniel Craig and Harrison Ford in this. Worth seeing but I don't expect to see a trend starting from mash-ups like this in future.… Expand

Cowboys and Aliens needed better aliens to support the cowboys, the pacing was uneven, and there was nothing innovative or new, but Cowboys and Aliens was fun, thanks to fun action, a strong cast, and a script which was much better than I thought it would be. It may not be a Captain America or Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2, but it is better than the sad action movies this year such as Transformers Dark of the Moon.… Expand

Short review: Should have been fun. Wasn't

Title more appropriate as a description of Republican Party infighting over the debt ceiling: Traditional Republicans (cowboys) versus Tea partiers (aliens) except that in the political scenario, aliens seem to have won,whereas in the movie, the aliens were smarter.

Cowboys and Aliens stars Daniel Craig as Jake Lonergan who wakes up in the western dry landscape with no memory of who he is and why he is there and the only thing that doesn't faze him as much as it should is the strange bulky band that is clamped on to his wrist. After Jake walks into a small town he is recognised as a wanted man by the Sheriff for stealing Colonel Dolarhyde's (Harrison Ford) gold and is imprisoned with a little help from Olivia Wilde's character and soon after strange flying ships start attacking the town and stealing the townspeople. Right from the get go we it feels amazingly like a western tale with a long panning shot of the dusty landscape to Craig suddenly popping up in a panic with the famous blue eyes being the only thing that sticks out. Even the scenes following could be plucked from a spaghetti western, weather it be Jake kicking the crap out of a group of outlaws or Jake kicking the crap out the towns resident **** The mood does start to change when Jake begins to blow alien spaceships out the sky with the laser armband thing he is wearing and when the spaceships start to pluck people like ants from their homes and kidnap them. The entire movie tries to balance these two genres and does it surprisingly well. It makes the story not believable to any stretch of the imagination which is a good thing. The acting is decent enough from pretty much everybody that steps in front off the camera and the set pieces are epic with great direction but one of the things that makes me respect this movie more than anything is that the aliens are well thought out and do have more of a place in the story other than to be a punching bag for the main lead. If there is one thing that slightly niggles me about this movie it is the ending, I don't want to give away to much but it leaves the movie off on a sort of on a low note with a "that's it" type of feel. Over all it does bring the amazing action sequences, a few jumps and a good experience. Yes it is a Hollywood cash grab, but it is a good one.… Expand

A man with no name and no memory wakes up in the middle of the desert. He has no idea how he got there but it appears he has been in some sort of violent situation and there is a metal bracelet attached to his wrist. The stranger (Daniel Craig) unluckily attracts frequent attacks including bounty hunters, local thugs, and then aliens. He may not remember his past, but he certainly remembers how to fight and shoot. This comes in handy since the filmâ… Expand

This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. I didn't particularly enjoy this film. I would have loved to see a classic western with Craig and Ford, they would have been terrific. The science fiction element was nonsense. For instance it was never explained why they placed the device on Craig's wrist. A weapon that he was able to use against them? Why? Olivia Wilde just lousy, she seemed so out of place that it kind of telegraphed that she was an alien herself. We just sort of know that the aliens are bad and want gold. But they kidnap people, to what end I don't know, they certainly weren't giving them an anal probe as in other movies. But during the whole movie, I just couldn't stop thinking what if Harrison Ford was a a grizzled, tough old rancher who is assisted by young gunslinger Craig against the bad guys. **** they should have just remade Shane and it would have been better.… Expand

It's a strange movie when you think about it, but that's why you should like it! I was very impressed by the first 40 minutes of this film, I might say that it's the best 40 minutes of any film this year, thus far. But once the Aliens came the film did what it should have avoided, began a very convoluted plot that not only confuses the audience but slightly angers them, or maybe that was just me. But Cowboys & Aliens really pulled it together in it final frames and I must respect this film for that very reason. I give the western part 10/10 and the Sci-Fi part 8/10 thus combining for a very respectable 9out of 10.… Expand

Okay. Cowboys and Aliens. One side has high-tec weaponry, the other has six-shooters. Who do you think wins? Well, the side with the guy that has a stolen alien laser-shooting bracelet of course! In this movie, aliens raid a town, steal some people, and flee. Everybody that is left heads out to go and find them. Along the way, the group is narrowed down, but they also end up recruiting a pack of Indians and ruffians. The movie is pretty good, with the acting very solid. everybody played their roles well. The story was pretty good, as good as a cowboys and aliens story can be, and the script was pretty good. There are some moments of suspense, and a couple startling moments, but nothing that will overly frighten you. The big problem with this film was the issues with continuity. Among other things, at one point all the people are riding into battle together. if you count how many people proceed to get owned by the aliens, you realize they lost more men than they really had. Still, this isn't exactly obvious, you'd have to studiously study the movie to see it. There are a couple good stunts, a couple big explosions, though the best attack is always going to be the initial attack on the town. If you're looking for action, a couple one-liners, some gruff transactions, and some sci-fi mixed in, this is a good movie to see, and I fully recommend it.… Expand

I really WANTED to like this movie. I even bought the "Cowboys and Indians" magazine with the movie on the cover at the store in anticipation. The rationale for this mash-up is that westerns don't do well overseas, but sci-fi and aliens do. So why not blend both! But after 30 minutes of dark tedium, I started to count down the time to leave. (Had I not gone with three friends, I would have left.) Epic fail: derivative, cliched, and boring. PollosHermanos long review (BELOW) covers all the bases at length. Jpwilson1984 calls it a "Wild Wild West level mess. Ridiculous story, incomprehensible + lazy script, not nearly fun or funny enough. Takes itself too seriously and has more than a few outright boring stretches." AND utterly predictable. All too true. Blame the script, but with this level of talent blowing a chance to genre-blend the epic western, all talent shares in the blame of wasting the budget. I'm only thankful that, barring having a kid, I'll never have to waste my time watching such dreck again. So much potential wasted.… Expand

Meh. Despite a cool idea, great cast, and solid creative team, C&A is mostly just really loud and boring. It feels like the writers really don't know or like Westerns very much - the Western elements are just a xerox of a xerox... and actually so do the alien elements, right down to the alien design. There's nothing clever here - rules set up are quickly broken when convenient. Some aliens need to be shot 5 to 10 times before they die, others can be stabbed with a single knife. Worst of all, the movie starts with Craig in possession of a crucial alien weapon - the ultimate deus ex macchina, and it shows up in the first shot.

I was really tempted to walk out and kinda wish I had. A big problem is the movie's resistance to having a real bonafide hero at the center. Both Craig and Ford play typical Western bad guys (thief & rancher respectively) as opposed to a classic sheriff type. No one has anything to prove or need to change.… Expand

My advice for watching this movie is simple... don't watch this expecting a really well thought out story or plot. In fact, don't even really watch this unless you really have to see it, because looking back there's nothing really too appealing, or anything that really stood out in this movie.

Cowboy and Aliens is at the very least a typical summer action flick. The main problem I had with it is that it dragged out the film to an unnecessary point. Also the tone shifts in the movie got a little annoying. On the good side all the actors did a great job portraying there respectful characters. None of them were over the top. It is the essence of a popcorn flick, which isn't necessarily a bad thing.… Expand

Good movie overall; still have to assume though that some things or some events just happened the way it did; like when the main character went back for more help, that the rest of the group did move away from the alien's ship...though we didn't see that in the film. :)

As far as genre mashups go, Cowboys and Aliens pretty much takes the cake. The plot is absolutely ridiculous in a fun way, and the novelty of cowboys shooting aliens is unforgettable. Add in some comedic scenes and a wonderful cast mainly dominated by Daniel Craig, and you've got yourself one rollicking good time.

If you're wondering if you should see this movie, think of the title. If you have any doubt or roll your eyes at the thought of the title, don't go see it. If you like the sound of the ridiculous notion of a movie that has cowboys and aliens, and you enjoy action and fun, you should enjoy it. It's a summer action popcorn flick, nothing more.

Don't try to figure out historical accuracy, it's a movie with cowboys and aliens.… Expand

Saw this movie last week and to be honest i went into it with high expectations and i walked out of the theatre pleased. This movie was good. It had its flaws here and there, some actine issues and other minor things, olivia wilde is hot but she isnt the best actress and harrison ford seemed, idk, not the harrison ford we all grew to love, i think he was a bit old for his role but he was still good. I mean lets be honest, your going to see a movie titled Cowboys & Aliens with Indiana Jones and James Bond in it, what are you expecting? An academy award for best picture? Not at all, if thats what you were expecting to see then well your clearly an idiot so no need to come on jere and write a review bashing on things the director wasnt going for. I went in expecting an action spectacle about cowboys fighting aliens and daniel craig being a bada$$ and thats exactly what i saw. First film with cowboys and aliens in the same movie and it was successful, more like 7.5/10 for me… Expand

I listened to Jon Favreau talk about this film last year at Comic Con and he said he wanted to do a classic western with aliens. This film is exactly that; a western with aliens. Great actors, great scenery, hilarious dialogue. Overall if u like western films you should like this one. Don't pay attention to all the bad reviews, those people just didn't get it. When you see this movie just sit back relax and enjoy the movie for what it is. A western with aliens.… Expand

This review contains spoilers. There are some really great elements to this film, and some really weak/boring ones. First, and most importantly, they tried far too hard to make the movie more than it needed to be. SPOILER- The alien space ships, for example, were far too small. When we see one shot down, the alien that comes out of it is bigger than the ship. And grappling hooks to grab the humans? Really? I thought it was a great idea to have the aliens looking for something other than the big 3 alien needs: water, slaves, or land because their planet is dying. But it was never explained why the aliens needed so much gold so badly, except to say it's as rare to them as it is to us. Also, why, exactly, were they taking humans? To find our weaknesses is, in itself weak. They were so advanced, with superior weapons, and they had no problem killing humans. Other then that, I enjoyed the movie quite a but. Craig and Ford are outstanding in their roles. Wilde, and the supporting cast were adequate, and in some cases (the doctor, the sheriff) quite good. I for one loved that it was a western. Seeing aliens in the badlands over 100 years ago was new, and therefore entertaining. The biggest problem I had with the movie was of my own making. The commercials for the movie made me think, for some reason, that it was more of a campy, slightly cheesy comedy. It is not! I kept waiting for the laughs, expecting more from the movie than it delivered, and that took away from it. But as I say, that was my own fault. Still, it's an entertaining film!… Collapse

The idea of mixing a western with sci-fi is a good one with some fun potential and while Cowboys and Aliens is more good than bad it does fall short this potential. The movie does look good, and most of its cast are working well together but unfortunately by the end of the movie there are far too many unanswered questions that youre left feeling incomplete. The first half of cowboys is decent making good use of its characters but the second half drags with too many uninteresting unnecessary scenes. I understand that the western genre loves the horse riding, camp fire conversation scenes but what we get in the movie are boring and not necessary. The third act of the film gets back on track to a fun action movie, and there are some thrilling moments but the sci-fi elements feel too familiar to be really awesome, the aliens themselves are a bit forgettable. There is some fun to be had in this movie, and the cast is good, if only the plot holes were fixed up and more questions werent left unanswered it would have been better.… Expand

This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. James Bond meets Indiana Jones, gets close to Olivia Wilde and fights aliens with a wrist band that "Q" didn't give him. Set in 1870s New Mexico, the story has cowboys joining outlaws and Indians to battle evil critters from outer space who have stopped by to do a little gold prospecting and human harvesting. The plot is preposterous and heavy handed but it's still sheer enjoyment to watch 007 and Indy tear up the scenery and beat off the monsters. There are elements of Shane, Rio Bravo, The Magnificent Seven and several other classics blended into this tale of redemption and lost love but the action wins the day. Not shot in 3D, this movie proves that you just don't need it to make a good movie. Order a large popcorn, sit back and just enjoy the fun.… Expand

Thrilling, dazzling, and even a bit tearjerking at times, Cowboys & Aliens is a fantastical western-sci-fi with action-packed sequences and groundbreaking performances from Daniel Craig, Harrison Ford, and Olivia Wilde.

This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Cowboys & Aliens shows promise when it first starts, featuring a silent almost Clint Eastwood-like protagonist (Daniel Craig)and a dusty, gritty western town we all like to see in our Westerns until all of a sudden character-introduction goes into overdrive and we're meeting one character after another, never stopping to focus on who they are are and what kind of traits they possess. Instead, they all play out as these archetypical characters one may find in a spaghetti western until the aliens show up. That's when they become mere pawns to be sacrificed to further the plot. There is some character development but most of the time you'll find yourself just not caring, the characters being almost as faceless as the nondescript aliens that they are fighting. Everything that happens in this movie is highly predictable, there is no sense of humour to it and despite the massive budget, famous actors and unique premise it comes out as a very generic and bland science-fiction movie. The only way you can still tell it's a western after 30 minutes in is that they meet up with a bunch of indians and that they ride horses. Something that bothered me because it seemed like the creatures were put under a lot of stress for our entertainment. No western needs that many horses faling over for something that doesn't help the story move forward one iota. Other than that all pretense of it being an actual western is dropped in favour of good looking but generally bland CGI with a plot we've seen so many times before. Watch it if you enjoy science-fiction but don't expect a masterpiece in any way. Harrison Ford makes for a horrible bad guy, the overacting just jumps off the screen until he has a change of heart somewhere halfway through the movie after which he seems more comfortable in his role.… Expand

I liked the concept for this movie. It was very unique and Jon Favreau made a very solid movie. I thought the movie had a bit more potential, seeing as Iron Man was very well done. Daniel Craig, phenomenal actor in this movie, Harrison Ford did... Eh, but that is besides the point. The cinematography was beautiful, the sounds were great and where the heck can i get myself one of those bracelets? A very solid movie.… Expand

I can't believe the mixed reviews from the critics! I think the critics were expecting a movie that would solve our our nations debt problems. What this movie did was not make us think about those problems. Gritty Westerns meets "Aliens" (maybe not as gory) this movie did it well enough that you will be thoroughly entertained. The movie was classic summer popcorn entertainment that blended two great summer movie genres; I mean come on I haven't seen combination like this in a long time.The casting was superb; Harrison Ford played a great villain that by the end of the movie I had huge respect. Of all the characters, I found him the most interesting to watch as his character develops through the story. Daniel Craig - mysterious, stoic, hard tough, kick ass hero - fun to watch. Don't take it super serious, and don't expect a killer blockbuster. Relax. Have fun and enjoy the actors. I don't give it higher than a 7 because the alien kidnapping humans genre we have all seen before; and it was somewhat predictable. Gritty Westerns where you can really see the age of the actors (and raw beauty) with grimy clothes that you can almost smell the grime through the screen is nothing new either. But that doesn't mean I didn't enjoy the scenery. It is not a type of movie that will cause me to deeply reflect on life values or experiences. But if you want to escape into a Western story that is slightly different. Watch this movie.… Expand

This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. I really wanted to like this, but just about everything in it fell short and I was left disappointed.

Ford and Craig were great together, yet their vibe was neglected and what there was of it wasted by a bad script, laugh-inducing (in a bad way) aliens, a sub-par directorial effort from Favreau, and too much of Wilde's character.… Expand

Wow. This movie was nonstop entertainment. I loved the stories within the story. Loved it!! The critics don't know squat and word of mouth will sell this movie. Very fun!! Must see in the theatre. Don't wait for redbox.

I have yet to see the movie yet, but it pains me to see that people have no idea what Cowboys & Aliens is? Most people think it was something that was new and made up, but the fact is the Cowboys & Aliens movie is based on the 2006 graphic novel "Cowboys & Aliens" the idea is not original, but I don't want people to think that this was a movie idea that Hollywood put together. I cannot accurately rate this movie without seeing it, but I think people are being to harsh.… Expand

One of the more well thought out and designed alien movies of late. Had surprising depth, a great cast, and no dearth of explosions or action. For what it is, and for what it's meant to be, 10 out of 10. It highly achieves in entertaining and telling a story.

This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Why is that these aliens are intelligent enough to build spaceships and laser guns, but when the cowboys attack they growl, run around on all 4, and try to bite and claw them? Also, the basic plot is: kill all the aliens before they can fly away and bring in reinforcements". So, we are to believe that the aliens have no way to CALL home using radios--even E.T. could do that!?! Furthermore, if the aliens never kidnapped any humans, we never would've known that they were out there mining gold! Give me a break! This movie is like a bad "SciFi Channel original movie".… Expand

This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. It was ok, but hoped it would be better. Daniel Craig plays it really straight and I cared little for his character. Harrison Ford is underused. Aliens are ok, but pretty much what you expect. I felt that the cowboys never seemed to be as terrified of the aliens as they should have been. Why did Daniel Craig's gang volunteer to sacrifice themselves to distract the aliens to save a bunch of people they had never met? And Olivia Wilde emerging from the fire ... once that had happened I figured anything could happen.… Expand

I thoroughly enjoyed this movie. Daniel Craig and Harrison Ford are fantastic and with a supporting cast including the likes of Sam Rockwell, you can't go wrong. Then there are huge missteps like casting Oliva Wilde, who should stick to mediocre television shows. The plot was lacking in many places, but the fresh concept along with Crag and Ford makes this idea easier to deal with.

This movie is an excellent popcorn flick. The action sequences and special effects did not disappoint - nor did the beautiful scenery. However, the lack of character development really disappointed me. I found myself caring little about whether any characters lived or died, and if they had bothered to elaborate more on some of the main characters, it would have been a much better movie. Also, the reasoning behind the aliens attack is just bizarre. That being said, gorgeous Western scenes and amazing alien technologies keep you interested, and a suspenseful conclusion is satisfactory enough.… Expand