Month: January 2025

Today’s quick review: Cowboys & Aliens. Jake Lonergan (Daniel Craig), a wanted criminal, wakes up in the desert with an alien device cuffed to his wrist and no memory of how he got there. Riding to the nearest town, Jake clashes with Colonel Dolarhyde (Harrison Ford), the local cattle baron. But when aliens kidnap townsfolk, the men must put aside their differences to rescue the captives, including Dolarhyde’s son Percy (Paul Dano).

Cowboys & Aliens is a sci-fi Western starring Daniel Craig and Harrison Ford. As the title implies, the movie pits a group of cowboys, settlers, and outlaws from a dusty Western town against a band of aliens that have set up shop in the wilderness nearby. Armed only with a mysterious device and a few cryptic hints from Ella (Olivia Wilde), Jake must lead an outgunned posse to the aliens’ hidden ship to rescue the people who have been taken.

Cowboys & Aliens scores a few points with its cast, its story, and its execution. Daniel Craig ends up being the major draw of the film, with a commanding presence that ties the story together. He’s joined by a cast of misfit characters who are all after the aliens for their own reasons. Finally, the movie manages some decent action that pits guns and explosives against towering aliens armed with advanced technology.

However, Cowboys & Aliens takes its premise too seriously for its own good. Instead of going for a schlocky romp, Cowboys & Aliens takes the harder route of trying to tell a dramatic, cohesive story. This ends up backfiring. Tonally, there are too many bitter characters without enough moments of hope and humanity to balance them out. Narratively, the aliens are boxed into a half-hidden, quasi-realistic role that doesn’t let them shine.

The result is a movie with fine craftsmanship, but one that’s missing the creative spark its premise would suggest. Give Cowboys & Aliens a shot if you’re a science fiction fan or a fan of its cast. Although tonal issues and a slightly mismanaged premise weigh it down, it still offers solid action and a competent plot. Steer clear if you are looking for something fun, exciting, or carefree.

For a more conventional Western with even more of a dramatic edge, try Unforgiven, 3:10 to Yuma, True Grit, or The Searchers. For a stylized alien invasion that makes better use of its setting, try Attack the Block. For an alien encounter with an even darker tone and better drama, try Dark Skies.

[6.0 out of 10 on IMDB](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0409847/). I give it a 6.5 for a good cast and solid production values hurt by some distinct flaws.

Today’s quick review: Skylines. Five years after Rose Corley (Lindsey Morgan) stopped the Harvester invasion, a virus threatens to turn millions of freed Pilots—humans trapped in alien bodies—back into mindless killing machines. General Radford (Alexander Siddig) recruits Rose, her Pilot brother Trent (Jeremy Fitzgerald), and a team of soldiers to travel to the Harvester homeworld and recover a device that will cure the Pilots.

Skylines is a sci-fi action movie and the third entry in the Skyline series. Skylines picks up years after Beyond Skyline and follows Rose, a young woman born with control over Harvester technology, as she tries to stop a new threat to humanity. Skylines escalates the story of the series quite well. Although it doesn’t break the mold for the sci-fi genre, solid special effects and stunt work make it a worthwhile watch for the right viewer.

Skylines has the kind of quality that most budget movies strive for. The special effects are a smooth mix of practical and CGI, and they are used in smart and consistent ways. The actors are capable martial artists, allowing the movie to throw in some flashy hand-to-hand combat to complement its sci-fi firefights. And while the plot is nothing special, it checks all the boxes it needs to, with a clear conflict and plenty of action.

None of this amounts to an outstanding movie. The characters are shallow if serviceable, the dialogue is generic, and none of the plot twists are all that shocking. The movie also has to deal with the baggage of its predecessors. The plot only makes sense as a sequel to Beyond Skyline, and the movie is locked into some odd visual and narrative choices. The result is something that will only really appeal to fans of budget sci-fi.

Give Skylines a shot if you’re interested in budget action movies that show unusual polish. Although the series has traveled far from its roots with the horror-tinged alien invasion flick Skyline, the third movie carves out a niche for itself with skilled stunt work and special effects that punch above their weight. However, you should steer clear if you are looking for star power, sharp writing, or a riveting plot.

For a sci-fi action movie in a similar vein, check out Alien vs. Predator, Predators, or The Predator. For budget sci-fi with top-notch practical effects and a more subdued story, try Prospect.

[4.7 out of 10 on IMDB](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt9387250/). I give it a 6.0 to 6.5 for good action fundamentals held back by a mediocre story.

Today’s quick review: Battleship. Alex Hopper (Taylor Kitsch), a hotheaded slacker, follows his brother Stone (Alexander Skarsgard) into the Navy, where his mistakes earn him the ire of Admiral Shane (Liam Neeson) and the affection of Shane’s daughter Sam (Brooklyn Decker). But Alex’s command abilities are put to the test when alien invaders touch down off the coast of Hawaii and cut off all communication with the outside world.

Battleship is a sci-fi action movie loosely based on the board game of the same name. Cut off from their fleet, three destroyers practicing combat maneuvers are left to fend for themselves against four technologically advanced alien ships. Battleship aims for a very particular target, trying to recreate the rules of the board game within sci-fi framework. The movie attains mixed results, offering popcorn action but not a lot to set it apart.

Battleship’s two main pillars are Alex’s journey from slacker to hero and the mechanics of the alien ships. Alex is a swing and a miss. He’s too impulsive to invest in, and his relationship with Sam is too shallow to humanize him much. The aliens fare better, but the movie has to bend over backwards to set them up. Nearly the entire middle of the movie is spent methodically revealing information about their technology.

Unfortunately, all of this effort leads to a mixed payoff. The rules the aliens operate by lead to some interesting situations, with a much heavier emphasis on naval warfare than other invasion movies. But there are enough clunky moments that the gimmick never quite clicks. The same goes for a lot of the moment-to-moment action: flashes of interesting ideas without a lot to tie them together or give the movie its own identity.

The end result is a fun movie with a couple of good moments, but one that fails to live up to the standards of its genre. Give Battleship a shot when you are in the mood for destructive action with a couple of interesting gimmicks. Steer clear if you are hoping for memorable writing or expertly handled tension.

For a futuristic sci-fi action movie about a reckless officer forced to grow up, try Star Trek. For a sci-fi action movie in the same vein that has more personality, try any of the Transformers movies. For a goofier, more experimental sci-fi adaptation of classic games, try Pixels. For an alien invasion with more character, try Independence Day.

[5.8 out of 10 on IMDB](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt1440129/). I give it a 6.0 to 6.5 for enjoyable action without much weight behind it.