That 1999 western - sci-fi mash up was an unmitigated disaster and I couldn't shake the feeling that COWBOYS AND ALIENS was going to be more of the same. And boy oh boy was my premonition right on the money!
From the completely dreary and lifeless opening 20 minutes where nothing happens to engage our interest, to the dour, one dimensional and uninspiring leading characters, and the dull, confusing and cliche soaked story there is absolutely nothing here to - how can I say it - engage the audience.
Daniel Craig is a fine actor but the western genre is not his natural home, and his supposedly 'mysterious' character is so boring I had not the slightest interest in sharing his journey of discovery. Playing the ruthless baddie who - surprise surprise - really has a heart of gold, Harrison Ford reprises that annoyingly gravel-voiced whisper that he used to such irritating effect in last year's 'Morning Glory.'
You know a film's in trouble when its two leading characters are so completely unappealing that - within minutes of first meeting them - you couldn't care less whether they live or die, and no amount of explosions, space ships and decidedly unimpressive special effects persuaded me to change that initial impression.
I would not previously have imagined it possible but COWBOYS AND ALIENS may actually be worse than 'Wild Wild West.' At least that had a catchy theme song.
An uninspired and unimaginative head on collision between two incompatible genres, this malformed abomination is guaranteed to disappoint not only western and sci-fi enthusiasts but also anyone hoping to be entertained.
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