History Film / CowboysAndAliens

* {{Fanservice}}: Olivia Wilde has a scene of her naked around a campfire in front of EVERYONE. Although nothing but her back (from the waist up) is shown.

* MisplacedNamesPoster: That's not Daniel Craig, Harrison Ford, and Olivia Wilde! It's Olivia Wilde, Daniel Craig, and Harrison Ford!

A 2011 film directed by Creator/JonFavreau, produced by Creator/StevenSpielberg and Creator/RonHoward, and starring Creator/HarrisonFord, OliviaWilde, and Creator/DanielCraig, set in TheWildWest. It is based on a 2006 graphic novel, which even started as a movie pitch but DevelopmentHell made the comic be released first.

* JerkAss: both Dolarhydes, Percy more than his dad

** And, of course, Ford saying "[[MemeticMutation I am your father.]]"

* RatedMForManly: Grizzled, muscular cowpokes kicking alien butt. Few things are manlier than this.

[[quoteright:350:http://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/cowboys_&_aliens.jpg
[[caption-width-right:350:Two great tastes that taste great together.]]

[[quoteright:226:http://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/cowboys__aliens_001_5558.png]]
[[caption-width-right:226:Two great tastes that taste great together.]]

* {{Badass}}:
** Lonergan. The movie opens with him calmly and easily killing a trio of bounty hunters while completely unarmed.
** Dolarhyde is an old, grizzled war veteran who proves he's still got some spunk left in him.
** Doc becomes one by the end of the movie.
** Ella shows she is one by the end of the movie.

* ImmuneToBullets: The aliens' exoskeletons shrug off regular period hanguns like they're nothing, [[RealityEnsues though they still are reasonably affected by the recoil.]] Shotguns actually seem to wound them slightly, but their main problem is still the recoil of ''those'' bullets - Jake uses this to great effect in the climax.

* OutsideContextVillain: Alien invaders isn't exactly something the average 19th century cowboy would even ''consider''.

** Throw in the arrows being slung from high ground near the start of the battle and, oh yeah, [[HeyItsThatGuy Han Solo]] leading the battle.

* DuelingStarsMovie: Creator/HarrisonFord vs. Creator/DanielCraig. Franchise/IndianaJones vs. Film/JamesBond. 80's ActionHero vs. 00's ActionHero. One can only wonder how [[AwesomenessIsVolatile cinema screens don't catch fire]] when those two guys are in the same shot.

* ImmuneToBullets: The aliens' exoskeletons shrug off regular period firearms like they're nothing, [[RealityEnsues though they still are reasonably affected by the recoil.]]

* BittersweetEnding: [[spoiler:Ella sacrifices herself to ensure the alien scouts don't return home, and Lonergan decides not to settle down, but the aliens are dead, and the town of Absolution sees a boom on the horizon.]]

* AdaptationDistillation: The comic is an allegorical condemnation of ManifestDestiny - the aliens come to Earth to add it to their empire and treat the indigenous peoples like dirt. There's actually a scene where a white guy screams "they don't have the right to do this to us just because they have better guns!", only to be met with a DeathGlare from an Indian. In the movie, the aliens have GoldFever, abduct people via techno-lasso - and it focuses more on people trying to do what seems right no matter their past deeds.

* TheWestern: [[XMeetsY With aliens.]]

* XMeetsY: [[RunningGag Say it with me]]: '''Cowboys''' and '''Aliens'''.

* ShoutOut: The [[spoiler:alien ship explosion at the end]] looks a lot like the Death Star explosion pattern in ''StarWars''. The Indians hooting/hollering sound a lot like the Ewoks in the same movie.

[[caption-width-right:226:Two great tastes, that taste great together.]]

** Lonergan = Loner [[spoiler: again?]]; he's a [[ExactlyWhatItSaysOnTheTin loner]]. Dolerhyde = Dollar Hide; he's raising cattle and is responsible for keeping the town going.

* HollywoodAtheist: Doc, who seems to have no faith because he's had bad luck. After a few theological conversations, he's giving religious eulogies.

* HospitalityForHeroes: The bartender's wife lets Jake have a drink for free after he stood up to the town bully.

* ImmuneToBullets: The aliens' exoskeletons shrug off period firearms like its nothing.

* BittersweetEnding: [[spoiler:Ella sacrifices herself to ensure the aliens don't return home, and Lonergan decides not to settle down, but the aliens are dead, and the town of Absolution sees a boom on the horizon.]]

* BountyHunter: The people seen at the beginning of the film, who try to arrest Lonergan. [[CurbStompBattle They fail]].

* ShellShockedSenior: Dolarhyde, as a result of the UsefulNotes/TheAmericanCivilWar and the atrocities he witnessed in the Indian Wars.

* BittersweetEnding: [[spoiler:Ella sacrifices herself to ensure the aliens don't return home, and Lonergan decides not to settle down, but the aliens are dead, and the town sees a boom on the horizon.]]

* BittersweetEnding: [[spoiler:Ella sacrifices herself to ensure the aliens don't return home, and Lonergan decides not to settle down, but the aliens are dead.]]

* AllStarCast: Daniel Craig, Harrison Ford, Olivia Wilde, Sam Rockwell, Clancy Brown, Keith Carradine.

* PlayingAgainstType: Creator/HarrisonFord is a CorruptHick who rules the town with an iron fist. Also, Creator/ClancyBrown in a non-villain role.

* WeAreStrugglingTogether: Dolarhyde tries this with the Apaches with little luck, until Nat paints another side of him. It still doesn't work (the Apache chief wonders where his warriors are at if he's such a mighty one), until Longergan shows back up with TheCavalry.

* DuelingStarsMovie: Creator/HarrisonFord vs. Creator/DanielCraig. IndianaJones vs. JamesBond. 80's ActionHero vs. 00's ActionHero. One can only wonder how [[AwesomenessIsVolatile cinema screens don't catch fire]] when those two guys are in the same shot.

* LoveMakesYouDumb: In a humorous scene, Lonergan needs to remove the gauntlet and give it to Elle. She tells him to removing by emptying his mind of thoughts, and he can't do it. [[spoiler: She plants TheBigDamnKiss on him and it falls off immediately.]]