So much eye candy you will leave a diabetic. Action is awesome, they even have some slo-mo sequences which truly rock; a very nice change from the usual fast and hectic action which dominates the other two films. The 3D is worth it, especially if you splurge and go to an IMAX.
The comedy is almost overdone, though I was quite glad they dialed down the childish dick jokes in this one. Character development is almost non existent, and if you are not paying attention during the final two acts you will get lost once the hammer falls, things really accelerate and get hectic towards the end and they cut back and forth between multiple groups with differing objectives.
And hot damn the cheesecake actually does something useful in this film other than just look hot while running in slo motion. The parents are not overused this time and it was nice to have them visit. It is also nice to have Nimoy back to voice act for another Transformers movie, though he does utter a line that many Trek fans will find utterly inappropriate and blasphemous, and I can completely sympathize with them…
But for explosions, destruction and robot combat this is unmatched in scope. The pacing of the final hour is almost relentless, you will leave happy and spent. And don’t wait through the end credits, there are no surprises or easter eggs this is not a marvel film.
Just got home from dinner after seeing Transformers and I agree with Omra…I’m still dizzy from that last hour. The Trek line was a WTF…are you kidding me moment. And I blurted out “WASH” when Alan Tudyk appeared on the screen. He was OSSIM in his role as Dutch.
I made the mistake of sitting too close in an Imax 3D showing. That combined with the mega bass (seriously, I feel like I know what it’s like to watch a live shuttle launch) made me unable to sit through two sittings like I’d normally do.
If I can find a cheap 2D matinee to watch it again, I’ll jump at that chance.
Had my doubts about Chris Evans, but I feel he did a great job of portraying a young, naive, innocent and strongly idealistic man given a great opportunity to do amazing things for his country and those he loves. And the effects they used to make him small and scrawny was astounding and flawless… HOT DAMN! :eek:
Joe Johnston who has directed many films I have enjoyed over the years has done another great work. He does not allow the Special Effects to overshadow his characters, he balances drama and humor well and he always seems to have great music in his films; and utilizes it well, not overwhelming the moment but enhancing it. The way music is meant to be used.
The period work was wonderful, and the Captain American musical number was astounding. I loved it! I was also impressed with the period style artwork used during the ending credits, it looked spot on.
I would place this at least as high on my list of favorite comic adaptations as X Men: First Class, it was that good!
As with all of Johnston’s films the art direction is superb, the designs are eye popping and intriguing. The evolution of the costume was handled well, and it was fun meeting Tony Stark’s father…
Tommy Lee Jones was good as always, Hugo Weaving as the Red Skull was inspired casting and he really got into his role. The Howling Commandos were a blast to watch and deserve their own movie, do it!
There is a preview of the upcoming Avengers movie after the end credits, so I recommend sitting through them. Besides if you do so you get to hear the ‘Star Spangled Man’ song in its entirety…
I hope they have Rogers reunite with Peggy Carter in the Avengers, I was expecting them to end this movie with him finding her in a care center and them finally having the dance they had promised one another all those many years ago. It would have been so sweet to have done that,… OK maybe bittersweet but still touching none the less.
I can still remember the buzz the comic book caused a couple of years ago when it came out, it was a clever mixture of genres. Favreau did a wonderful job of blending them together, I loved the gritty film look of the movie and the CG was hidden well among the classic looking film stock.
Being in Arizona I was not really excited about this film, I see Cowboys and Illegal Aliens everyday. But the opening sequence followed by an inspired soundtrack hooked me right away. And I was pleased to see there were real character arcs and some touching moments, it was not all action, special effects and scares. It was a nicely balanced film with some genuine acting put forth by some familiar faces and some very underused ones we fans will enjoy seeing again. Hell I actually teared up a few times at some of the well executed moments…
I enjoyed the ride and in short I would say the movie is … GOLD! Once you see the film you will catch the joke…
Awesome Conan trailer before the film, and I was really touched that they retained the old classic logo from the original film; the audience burst out laughing during the Battleship trailer.
I just saw Cowboys and Aliens today. And I really enjoyed it. I was really really excited for this movie to come out. I expected it to be a fun movie and that is what it was. And there was more character depth then I expected. Like Harrison Fords character was really enjoyable to watch his character was awesome. And something else I enjoyed about the film. Daniel Craig’s ass looks really good…that is all I will say about that
After I came home from this movie I wanted to play some Red Dead Redemption but realized there is not any aliens for me to shoot
Omra, our theater seemed to react better than I expected to the Conan trailer. I was a wee bit let down because it just wasn’t as eyeball-assaultingly-awesome as the red band trailer. That said, it looks unmissable, so long as I am in the mood for a bloodthirsty romp while it’s out.
Our theater also burst out laughing at Battleship. That is one hot mess.
But on to the main event:
I really liked the dirtiness of the film. Right from the first scenes of Jake waking up bloody, bewildered, and hot as hell in the middle of nowhere, the griminess of the frontier was obvious and visceral. At the same time, it was executed in a way that made sense (except for Ella whose skirts never looked dusty or muddy above the bottom 6 inches, and she didn’t have horrible sweat stains all over the pretty light yellow calico like she should have).
Characters were well-drawn and had some interesting arcs. Ella was not fully satisfying but a lot of the things I wanted from her were probably in the comic and just not possible to include in the movie artfully and within time limitations. Jake’s prostitute-love was more plot device than character and it always annoys me when writers do that. However, his motivations were so opaque, only partially due to the memory loss, that it might have been necessary in order to make any sense of him. Lady Sioned is right that the Colonel is a particularly awesome character… to watch on screen, not to have to deal with in reality…
Overall the movie was a mixed bag. I did not like it as much as Omra or Lady Sioned, or, frankly, as much as I expected and wanted to like it. For instance, I really did not enjoy the Apache and cowboys interactions. Everyone’s motivations seemed stereotypical and two dimensional. That made the end of the movie a little tough for me–I kept feeling distracted from the big battle.
The dialogue was also disappointing. Usually Favreau movies get it right, but there was a little too much currently-vogue irony in lines delivered by simple frontier folk. Maybe this is true in the comic as well? It didn’t play well on screen. Jake’s and the Colonel’s lines were pitch perfect but the supporting cast was weak.
To finish on a positive note, two things that I just LOVED about the movie:
The music. As Omra mentioned, it was fantastic. It drew inspiration both from the Western genre and from suspense and action movies. Added a lot to the tone of the movie.
The aliens themselves. Those creepy chest vaginas! The slimy pincer-hands inside the creepy chest vaginas! The smooshedness of their faces & heads combined with their dexterity. Thoroughly creepy opponents. Six slimy pincers up!!
In summary, knowing what I know now, I would have saved $20 and watched it on DVD. But it’s definitely worth seeing.
Just got back from Woody Allen’s Midnight in Paris. Uneven film, but it has a scifi/fantasy conceit to the plot that I wasn’t expecting. Probably worth seeing if you want a break from explosions.
Cowboys and Aliens was a pretty fun watch. If you want action look no further.
Got to see the Battleships and Aliens trailer up front. That was interesting, though to me, not enticing. The cast looks top notch, and the story looks interesting from the trailer, but I’m still skeptical. Maybe once I see a bit more footage in the next couple trailers I’ll be sold.
It was fun, while it may not have been an entirely accurate movie; it certainly captured the flavor and feel of the books. And I liked the homage to the first movie with the sword, and having a female character with a backbone and some skills. He had scars which made sense, the costuming, weapons and sets were nice, the fights believable and exciting, and the villages and cities looked run down and lived in, not like props or dressing. The backdrops and landscapes were littered with the remains of dead civilizations, that combined with the music made for a grand and established feel to the piece… kind of like the LOTR films; where you got a sense of history to the world (only dirtier and grittier). I liked the story, there were a number cyclic aspects to it, and the crazy ass merc Colonel from Avatar made a great villain. He looked like he was really enjoying himself…
This could have been a good movie. The story was fine and I really liked the world the characters interacted with, unfortunately it suffered from poor casting and a director who could not extract believable performances from the actors. It had a low budget look to it, which could have been overcome with better camera work, lighting and strong performances. And even so I could have forgiven all of that if they had cast someone else as Dylan.
Brandon (I still look like Superman) Routh sucked all the life out of the movie, with his apathetic acting. They needed to cast a tired and haggard looking person with a quick and sarcastic wit, to pull off the role. And an unknown actor would have helped too, so you do not keep fixating on the fact that, “Hmmmm that guy looks familiar, where have I seen him before?”
Effects and makeup? Who cares… I would have totally gotten into this film if only someone else had been Dylan. It could have opened the door to more Dylan Dog films, or even better yet… Dresden Files movies!
Mindless fun with lots of eyecandy big silly helmets and amazing fight sequences. Hurt really seemed to enjoy his role and Mickey Rourke was a joy to watch. I did not feel however that the 3D was all that great, a few of the fight sequences popped but it was wasted through the majority of the film. And as is often the case the 3D makes some of the scenes so dark as to be almost unwatchable.
Overall I was glad I went and would gladly watch it again. But I would forgo the 3D…
Here is my Mission Impossible: Ghost Protocol Review (spoiler-free): First and foremost, if you liked any of the previous ones, GO AND WATCH IT IN THE CINEMA. Even if you didn’t seen any of them before and just like this type of genre you most likely will be fully satisfied by it.
Tom Cruise as we know him, ass-kicking female agent and a new teammember who at least earned his stripes a bit. But the biggest enjoyment I got was from @SimonPegg. Of course he is the comic relief, but he did it superb. Sadly the antagonists were very generic, especially compared to Phillip Seymour Hoffman in the last one. Josh Holloway only way too little used, although the hole time I kept waiting for a “Janus”-like twist.
Directing was solid and the cinematography and locations fantastic. Even hearing the first few seconds of the score by @m_giacchino I got goosebumps and knew that it would enrich the movie. All in all, the story was solid but nothing spectacular, it was very lighthearted and a fun experience.
Oh, and some sweet hints of boobage!
My first movie of the new year, and hot damn was it a blast! Fun, fun, fun fun fun! The story is predictable and no one will be getting any nods from the Academy for their acting but that did not stop me from enjoying the film. The action was great, the effects were good as always, and the music was fine and the cinematography and lighting was very nice. The costuming and weaponry was top notch as always. But the biggest bonus of the film?
Kate up on the big screen slinking around in a skintight PVC costume in glorious 3D!!! [SIZE=2][/SIZE][SIZE=2]:eek:
A few other perks:
A long John Carter of Mars preview (SWEEEEEET!!)
A 3D preview of the next Resident Evil film (Squeeee!)
Like I stated it is not a deep or thought provoking film, it is just mindless and very satisfying entertainment. It is what it is and does not pretend to be anything else, and I am fine with that. Sometimes I just want to turn my brain off and be entertained, is that so wrong? :D[/SIZE]
