How The West Was 1 …(on a scale of 1-10)

by Chris July 25, 2011

Cowboys & Aliens is the biggest disappointment in an already off-Summer.

Spielberg. Howard. Grazer. They should all be ashamed of themselves for not stepping in and calling out Favreau’s lackluster western and Kurtzman/Orci’s lazy piece of storytelling. A strong opening and solid first act lead down a trail of underwhelming mess full of uninspired performances and weak writing. Good photography, but no memorable score to go along with it. The only way this could have been more frustrating is if it was in gimickvision 3D. And, judging from Favreau’s words in Hall H during his “The Visionaries” panel, he knows deep down that he’s created something less than what it’s promised to be. The subtle desperation in his voice as he hyped the film like a politician who doesn’t even believe his own words was almost embarrassing… The worst part of it, the “Visionaries” behind this will indeed get away with their laziness when millions of moviegoers of all ages flock to the wrong alien film this weekend. I haven’t even seen the Edgar Wright-produced Attack the Block yet and I already know it’s better than C&A – simply because a film cannot let down and insult its audience any harder. Biggest missed opportunity for greatness of the summer and an insult to every Cowboy and every Alien who ever laid it on the line on the silver screen.