Confused cowboy Jake Lonergan (Daniel Craig) wakes up in small town America with no memory. The only clue to his past is a strange metal device attached to his wrist which, in 1870s Arizona, only adds to the mystery.
When he arrives in Absolution he is greeted by the grizzled Woodrow Dolarhyde (Harrison Ford), an angry man who is demanding from Lonergan the return of stolen gold. Cue the alien takeover.
In a twist only Hollywood could provide, Lonergan and Dolarhyde must battle flying saucers and lasers with shotguns and pure American grit. Among the explosive attacks Lonergan strives to regain his memory, struggling to provide an explanation.
Director Jon Favreau has taken the tongue-in-cheek excitement from his previous Iron Man films in this latest offering, poking fun at ludicrous 'mash-up' movies such as Alien vs Predator. By including Harrison Ford and Daniel Craig, Favreau has even added a touch of credibility to an idea that probably should have been laughed out of production.
Behind the ridiculousness of the title, a storyline begins to emerge. The characters are believable thanks to the calibre of the actors and, far from being a waste of two hours, this movie supplies a great dose of fun.
Cowboys and Aliens is a Film programme that first aired in 2011 and has been classified a 12 certificate.
