If you like cowboys, dirt, Daniel Craig, or a boy with a dog, you should go. Overall, surprisingly thumbs up. Warning, the good dialogue comes at the beginning, the good horse riding comes in the middle, and the embarrassing face you make when cringing comes at the end. Yes, this is a popcorn film (I ate my whole bag), but it also does an excellent job putting some real hitch in the giddy up of cowboy flicks.
Daniel Craig shines as rough, reluctant hero, and really stuck it to the producers of Bond for not continuing his reign (making hearing him speak in an American accent all the more odd). Jon Favreau once again brought a pleasant grounding to what could easily slip into Michael Bay-let's just blow things up and move the camera really fast-territory. I am reminded of his insistence on "Elf" to do as many in-camera effects as possible before resorting to CGI, lending the tipping point of keeping it reasonable and earning his place at the table with the big boy producers of this film.
As a fan of early cowboy films of Ford, Wayne, Huston, and Steward, I was pleased to see the pacing and emphasis on the journey honored. This film is more about riding than stare offs. I just wish the destination was as much fun as the chase. At times it seemed like a chore to continue stabbing and shooting the aliens. Classics like "Winchester '73" knew best to get the killing done and wrap in up fast.
Daniel Craig shines as rough, reluctant hero, and really stuck it to the producers of Bond for not continuing his reign (making hearing him speak in an American accent all the more odd). Jon Favreau once again brought a pleasant grounding to what could easily slip into Michael Bay-let's just blow things up and move the camera really fast-territory. I am reminded of his insistence on "Elf" to do as many in-camera effects as possible before resorting to CGI, lending the tipping point of keeping it reasonable and earning his place at the table with the big boy producers of this film.
As a fan of early cowboy films of Ford, Wayne, Huston, and Steward, I was pleased to see the pacing and emphasis on the journey honored. This film is more about riding than stare offs. I just wish the destination was as much fun as the chase. At times it seemed like a chore to continue stabbing and shooting the aliens. Classics like "Winchester '73" knew best to get the killing done and wrap in up fast.