Cowboys & Aliens

Following on from the likes of Snakes on a Plane, Alien Vs. Predator and Ernest Goes to Africa of films that let you know their plot from their title, we have Cowboys & Aliens; a film that does pretty much exactly what it says on the tin. While I am not usually a fan of these titles that do the marketing teams job for them, I have to admit, something about cowboys facing off against aliens intrigued me, as it would the young boy in any cynical, jaded young man. Then it was announced that none other than both Indiana Jones and James Bond would be taking these alien marauders on and I suddenly sat up and took notice - boyhood dreams are made of this. Unfortunately the final product does not wholly deliver on those rabid fanboy expectations. Director Jon Favreau could have had a gleefully wild and fun adventure ride, and instead the film takes itself too seriously, which only ever expands on it's flaws. Not that it isn't a fun night out, rather the film seems tonally unsure of itself and never truly knows in what way to play these two opposing genres off against each other. Despite a stellar line up of talent both in front and behind the camera, it seems that everyone was betting everything on this films title rather than a fully rounded concept. Favreau has himself, promoted the film through old fashioned ways; rather than the film being presented in nice and shiny 3D with a million bells and whistles, Favreau decided to shoot on film and have only his two leading men's star power as being sufficient enough to entice audiences. It worked for me, but there is a whole other generation that doesn't hold Harrison Ford close to their hearts as we do and Daniel Craig hasn't been seen in any (action) roles in three years. Will it be enough? Well the answer is both yes and no. You see while there is a certain amount of nostalgic delight in seeing Ford in a fedora again and extraterrestrial predators falling prey to Indian arrows, there just isn't enough adventure on display to this journey.

Craig plays Jake Lonergan, a wanted criminal who wakes in the middle of the desert, with no recollection of himself or how he got there, with a mysterious clunk of mettle slapped on his wrist. As his townsfolk is suddenly attacked by strange flying shapes in the night sky and family members abducted, Lonergan must join forces with enemy Colonel Dolarhyde (Harrison Ford) to save the day and find out about his mysterious past. Throughout, Craig is all grimaces and scowls. As The Man With No Past, he says very little and carries a 'don't mess with me vibe' that comes in handy when those aliens show up looking for their bracelet back. He is effective as the lead but doesn't wholly gel with Ford. As much as it pains me to say it, there are times when the once Dr. Jones' performance seems off. He is always value for money, but he fails to carry any sense of conflict either about getting his son back, Craigs loose cannon team mate or this historical first contact with the miners from a different Galaxy. Any initial tension between Lonergan or Dolarhyde quickly seems forgotten and the film never derides any hostility or unease between the two. Olivia Wilde looks misplaced amongst the grit and her character only provokes a million more questions about her past while all Sam Rockwell seems to say is 'they took my wife'. However, it is a good cast. In between Craig and Fords superstardom everyone else is filled up by a nice line of reliable supporting character actors. What carries everything through is that same central idea. While Favreau still seems unsure of how to direct action he delivers the Western side of the genre very well without playing it up or making fun of itself. As a result everything is quite gritty and much more tough than you might expect. The sci-fi side of events unfortunately has more than it's share of plot holes. If it's aliens are so smart and powerful than why don't more of them use their weapons instead of ripping everyones throat out? Why are they really here for? Just where did Olivia Wilde come from? The film never satisfactorily answers these questions, but it is fun and interest in events is maintained. It seems that while the script seems unsure of which way to play things, Favreau was right all along; it was it's cast's mere presence that help sell the action, and it's simple title that would get you into the theatre in the first place.

Verdict 5/10

The film is fun, but never fun enough and has a tonally unsure script to match it's plot holes. However, you gotta love that cast and in it's concept alone, there is plenty to see on screen which hasn't been seen in a while.  The western works just fine, but the sci-fi needed more polish.

"Cowboys & Aliens" Trailer

True Grit

I'm sure even the most hardened Coen Brothers fan had some doubts upon hearing the highly illustrious brothers were considering another remake. After all, the last time they attempted one, was 2004's notorious "The Ladykillers", which along with "Intolerable Cruelty" is regarded as the least favoured in the Coen canon. However the Coens are far too astute to hamper themselves again. Part of me even thinks that they know something about those two films that we don't-after all, they are very noticeable blotches on their otherwise impeccable filmography. The Coens have always done what they meant to, which is part of what makes them such great film makers. Everything in their films is so perfectly judged, that the fact that "The Ladykillers" and "Intolerable Cruelty" are the misfires that they are, makes them stick out even further like a sore thumb. Although some have speculated it's their lack of 'Coen-isms' in the scripts I believe it to be something else. For "True Grit" is yet another fantastic achievement by the brothers, and yet for all its stunning wordplay, and oddball characters, it is as times, not very Coen at all. It is a Western, plain and simple. Delivered without any irony, the audience are transported back to a gritty, rough and unforgiving time. One that while it recalls the epic, silent landscapes and southern grit of "No Country For Old Men" and "Raising Arizona", it finds the brothers on new tides. Not that you'd ever know it; it offers something new to the great Coen pantheon while still more than living up to earlier classics.

Mattie Ross (Hailee Steinfeld) is bereaved after the recent and senseless murder of her father. At 14 years old she is head strong, confident, and more than a little vulnerable, but no less capable of taking care of herself. Being all these things and more, she takes it upon herself to capture and bring justice to her fathers murderer, Tom Chaney (Josh Brolin). In order to do this, she hires boozy US Marshall, Rooster Cogburn (a marvelously cantankerous Jeff Bridges), the only man with enough 'true grit' to get the job done. Along the way they meet Texas Ranger LaBoeuf (Matt Damon), a man also out to capture Tom Chaney and bring him back to his native Texan soil. Along with its plot, its characters are completely without fault-something which is the very least you can expect from the brothers Coen. Utilizing its chase movie set-up, they find ample room for quirky observations on the many 'characters' the Wild West had to offer and which are more than a dying breed nowadays. Within its themes of revenge, redemption and everything in between, they also allow the relationship between Mattie and Cogburn to grow. As Mattie, Steinfeld was called upon to do an awful lot. It is she who carries the film and grounds it around the more colourful characterisations of LaBoeuf and Cogburn. At merely 13 years old, she very nearly walks away with the film, so strong is her performance. No mean feat with a cast of this calibre, all of whom fire with all guns blazing. As Laboeuf, Damon gets most of the laughs. A slightly egotistical and proud man, his vanity and pride lend itself to the films funniest moments, especially when the aftermath of one action leaves him with a subtle, yet humourous speech impediment for the rest of the films running time. And completing the trio is Bridges' Cogburn. Much has been made of the John Wayne 1969 original film and the Dukes performance with which he won his only oscar. Here Bridges walks away with the role; in fact it is fair to say he completely dominates it over Wayne and will be remembered as the definitive actor for the part. Through his mumbled, slurred and thickly southern drawl, it is he who gets the film loudest performance and he is a pleasure to watch. His constant butting heads with LaBoeuf is a source of many of the most entertaining moments and his slow warming up to the strong willed Mattie gives the film its heart.

The film is not afraid to be funny when it has to while still retaining its smarts and originality. Every Coens film has wry moments of humour (even the blacker than black "No Country For Old Men") and "True Grit" is no exception. In fact its violence and harshness, is contrasted wonderfully with two of the most humourous characters seen in a Coens film for quite sometime in LaBeouf and Cogburn (a fantastic double act). Bridges' second team up with the brothers after the classic "The Big Lebowski" was always going to deliver, while Josh Brolin delivers in the few scenes he has. However newcomers Hailee Steinfeld, Matt Damon and Barry Pepper fit very comfortably with the Coens sensibilities. Pepper in particular steals the film in his limited screen time, which reminds the viewer of how talented he always was-completely unrecognizable here, he is better than ever before. When it comes down to it, the Coens always cast their films impeccably. When it came to remaking the original, they faced doubting looks not only from their previously burned fans, but from the lovers of the John Wayne classic. Although it shares vaguely the same plot, the Coens stick closer to the original 1968 book it is based on, and it is from where it gets its emotional weight. Dialogue stems from the novel but also shines with the best the brothers have previously offered. In the end with a surprising amount going against them, the brothers turn in their most crowd pleasing, yet no less effective work in some time. What they never forget is that while Bridges may hog the limelight, its title is not about him-it is our heroine Mattie who always had true grit.

Verdict: 9/10

Bridges chews up the scenery and all the supporting cast (especially Pepper) deliver while Steinfeld gives an incredibly assured debut performance belittling her young age. In the end it may be commercial and crowd pleasing but it is no less Coen and their stunning sensibilities linger throughout in Roger Deakins gorgeous images, Carter Burwells heartfelt strings, and their own inimitable and finely tuned dialogue. If this is the Coens selling out, then more of it would be very much welcomed indeed.

"True Grit" Trailer