Cowboys & Aliens - 5 stars out of 10

Cowboys & Aliens - 5 stars out of 10

"Cowboys & Aliens" is precisely what it sounds like.  But amidst the absurdity of this concept, an interesting story emerges.  The first half of this movie was precisely what I had hoped for - a genuine Western feel that, other than the title following the opening credits, would never give the indication of anything other than a Western.  The second half of this movie was precisely what I was afraid of - an alien movie whose only indication that it was a Western were a few cowboy hats.  The only reason that I gave this film a chance is because of Daniel Craig and Harrison Ford, figuring that there must have been something good about the script for two huge stars to sign on.  That, plus the curiosity as to how they could actually make this concept work.  I was pleasantly surprised by the amount of character development that brought these characters to life.  The acting was strong all around, and I really enjoyed the performances of Sam Rockwell (who is always a favorite of mine) and Olivia Wilde (who made it nearly impossible to look away from the screen).  I even thought that Paul Dano was really well cast (in spite of my inability to take him seriously in any role).  On the other side of things, the special effects were very impressive and I really liked the artistry of the aliens.  Unfortunately, the two sides did not properly gel.  A more appropriate title for the film might have been "Cowboys OR Aliens."  This is a decent Friday night action movie, but just be prepared for it to feel like an alien-from-outer-space film or an illegal-alien-from-Mexico film, but rarely like both at the same time.