Nerds That Geek Movie Review: 'Cowboys & Aliens'

Written by Scott Edwards

Having a lapse in memory can be a very dangerous thing.  Waking up in a strange place or talking to someone you do not remember is something that could turn bad, quickly, if you don’t know why or how you got put in the situation. There are several reasons why you might forget how you got to a place, but if you do not remember who you are, then you have more problems lined up than you have ever bargained for.

Jake Lonergan wakes up in the middle of the desert with a strange piece of metal clamped around his wrist. But that is not his only problem as he cannot remember how he got there, or who he really is. Fighting off a couple of outlaws, Jake is able to find his way into town and get cleaned up, but not knowing who he is, he is in for a world of trouble. Making himself known around the little town by not bowing down to one of its spoiled patrons, Jake finds himself getting arrested for something he does not recall.

Being able to fight his way out of the situation, he has enough self-restraint not to kill the sheriff when the old man’s family comes into play. Being knocked out cold by the only woman that carries a gun in town, Jake is locked up and awaits trial for all of the crimes he committed, including murder. But when getting loaded up to go see the judge, the town is attacked by something vicious from the stars and several people are taken away. Pairing up with an old colonel who he supposedly stole from, Jake becomes the key to searching for the beasts that have destroyed the town. ​

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Having the power of the monsters attached to his wrist, Jake has to become the man the people of the town want him to be, and since he still does not remember anything from his past, he has no reason not to be their champion. As a group of survivors head off in search for their missing loved ones, they are met with opposition from not only the beasts above, but the monsters that hide out in the desert, in the form of outlaws. Getting held up, one of the rag tag bunch recognizes Jake and that is all the man needs to know. Trying to take over his old group, Jake finds that he has committed the ultimate sin in their eyes by stealing the gold that they stole. With bits and pieces coming back to him about his past, Jake has to find a way to convince his old group to help him find the missing people from the town, but they do not take too lightly to what their old boss has done to him in the past. As the trek continues, more obstacles arise, but Jake is also able to regain his memory and is able to become a better man than he knew himself to be.

This movie has too many story lines to follow as you are treated to several powerful characters that you get attached to. There's the western beauty, Ella, who is looking for answers about the invaders, Colonel Dolarhyde who is looking for revenge, Doc who is trying to prove himself as a man, Nat who is only wanting to be accepted by his father figure, and so on. With so much happening with the characters in the movie, I cannot forget to mention that there are aliens as well. One of the things that I liked about these invaders from a different planet is that they seem to have a plan of attack and even though they can be killed, they will not give up their position since they are pretty much as money hungry as everyone else in the west. Finding gold, the aliens will fight for their claim, but seem to have an interest in the inhabitants of the planet as well, hence their need to abduct them.

I have read so many reviews blasting this movie for not having enough of one thing or another. That is just fine and everyone is entitled to their opinions, but one thing that I have not read is what I like most about the movie, and that is that every main character in the movie grows in front of your eyes. When first meeting them, everyone is stuck in their hard western ways, but by the end, they have become more human and understanding about what it takes to survive. I enjoyed this movie, mostly for the different looks and one liners that are thrown out between the characters. The storyline is fine in my eyes and I am pleasantly surprised how much more is incorporated into it than just what the title says.  Happy Viewing.

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