Plot: What’s it about?
Event movies rarely live up to the hype. I personally attribute the first event movie as 1989’s “Batman.” I’m sure there are others out there that preceded it and I’m not sure if there’s an official “first” event movie, but that’s neither here nor there. Yes, there are movies that have lived up to the expectations like “Terminator 2”, “Independence Day” and “Jurassic Park” and then there are others like “Godzilla” and “Armageddon” that seemed to be lost in the shuffle. But that was then and this is now. With ” Cowboys & Aliens” we’ve got two icons with Harrison Ford (“Indiana Jones”) and Daniel Craig (The latest “James Bond”). Of course you’ve got the sultry vixen with Olivia Wilde and a fairly interesting premise for a film. Would this movie be remembered as one of the more recent hits or forgotten like so many others?
We meet Jake Lonergan (Daniel Craig) as he awakens with amnesia. He’s got a metal shackle around his wrist and has no idea who he is or where he is. As he makes his way to a small town, he quickly makes an impression. The town patriarch (Harrison Ford) soon joins the show but before things really get going spaceships come out of the sky and start kidnapping the townspeople. Jake and Woodrow (Ford) form an unlikely partnership as they try to put their heads together as to what’s really happening and how to defeat these newfound enemies. As it turns out the aliens are after the same thing the humans are – gold. It’s just as rare on the alien planet as it is here and they won’t rest until they’ve depleted the Earth of its fair share. Will they?
“Cowboys & Aliens” is, admittedly, an interesting premise for a film but I felt that it ultimately fell a bit flat. There’s no denying the casting and even at this stage in his career, Harrison Ford still manages to command an audience. The James Bond franchise is on the rocks as of late, so Daniel Craig made an interesting partner to Ford’s character. Olivia Wilde, as talented and beautiful as she is, seems relegated to the role of the “attractive woman” though there’s a bit more to her character than meets the eye. Director Jon Favreau might have made it big with the “Iron Man” movies, but he might want to stick with superheroes from now on. While “Cowboys & Aliens” isn’t a bad movie, I don’t feel that it lived up to the hype.
Video: How does it look?
In spite of what it lacks in plot, there’s no denying that the movie sparkles on Blu-ray. The 2.40:1 AVC HD image is never compromised and we get the full spectrum in regards to how it appears on screen. Taking place in the Old West we get several shots with the grit and grain that we’d expect. The detail is amazing, showcasing the individual scruff on Ford’s face, the cuts and scrapes on Craig’s body and the twinkle in Olivia Wilde’s eyes. Obviously the CGI play a big part here, but this Blu-ray manages to showcase the detail in an extraordinary light. If showing off how good a movie can look is what you’re after then you’ll be hard-pressed to find any live-action movie that looks much better.
Audio: How does it sound?
The video set the bar very high and the DTS HD Master Audio soundtrack is equally impressive. Any modern movie that has the word “Aliens” in the title will most likely sound good and this doesn’t disappoint. The LFE play a major part in the film and is always active and humming away. Ford’s grizzly voice sounds deep and rich coming through the center channel. The front stage takes the brunt of the soundtrack, but the surrounds don’t let up – especially during the third act. Let’s face it, this is a science-fiction/action movie and they’re known for giving your system a workout. This one does.
Supplements: What are the extras?
Universal has wisely packed this release with a good assortment of supplements and we start off with an audio commentary by director Jon Favreau. Favreau gives a pretty decent commentary track as he talks of the shoot, the focus on the characters, working with the budget and screen legend Harrison Ford. It’s a nice track and I wish more directors would have their commentary tracks be at this level. “Finding the Story” is just that – the origin of the script and how it made the journey to the screen. “Outer Space Icon” focuses on the set design of the film and how it translated to the CGI work of the second part of the film. “The Scope of the Spectacle” is more of an EPK that centers on some everyday effects and the training of the actors for their work in the movie. Moving onto the Blu-ray exclusives we find Universal’s U-Control with a picture-in-picture commentary track as well as tons of behind the scenes footage. “Igniting the Sky” is a five part feature that focuses on the more technical aspects of the movie. “Conversations with Jon Favreau” is a very robust segment in which he sits down with some of the stars of the film as well as the film’s executive producers (which include Ron Howard and Steven Spielberg to name a few). Universal is also promoting the second screen feature which lets you view the movie on your laptop with some additional features. Of course there’s also a DVD of the film and a digital copy as well.
