Cowboys and Aliens (2011)

Last updated on: August 13, 2015 at 2:58 pm by Jim Erwin

Cowboys and Aliens (2011) 2015-08-13T14:58:00-05:00 Jim Erwin

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

Cowboys and Aliens (2011)

MOVIE SUMMARY

A spaceship arrives in Arizona, 1873, to take over the Earth, starting with the Wild West region. A posse of cowboys and natives are all that stand in their way.

MOVIE THEMES

The movie starts with a man (Jake Lonergan) who has a piece of alien technology attached to his wrist. Jake walks into town and meets a man who sews up a wound. We discover that this healer is the local preacher (Meacham). Meacham operates as the moral guide for the both the characters and the audience. Two major themes run throughout the movie: redemption and sacrifice.

Redemption

Redemption is a theme that pervades this film. Each major character in the film has a past and the conflict with the aliens allows the opportunity for all of the characters to receive redemption. Meacham’s dying words to Jake, “God don’t care who you were, Son, only who you are”, speaks of the central theme of redemption. The preacher (Meacham) is the moral center which people look to during the entire film. He keeps the posse in unity and he helps each person he meets to discern a higher meaning to their existence.

At one point, Ella Swenson is fatally wounded. After she dies, her corpse is thrown into a fire. As her body hits the fire, she is resurrected. Ella turns out to be a good alien who explains how to destroy the evil aliens. This restores the faith of the group as they learn ways to destroy the evil aliens.

Dolarhyde offers Jake Lonergan a chance to redeem himself. He offers him a job helping to rebuild the town at the end of the film. Although this act of forgiveness and redemption is rejected, Dolarhyde changes from seeking revenge to offering redemption.

These scenes of redemption point to the ultimate redemption we have in Jesus Christ (Ephesians 1:7). Each of these men and women go through a redemption process in this movie. Ella is sacrificed in sending the message of salvation against the evil alien. She is resurrected (like Jesus Christ). Jake works for his redemption – for forgiveness – of the sin he has done when he stole gold. Dolarhyde acts as a father-figure to Jake. Dolarhyde is willing to pay Jake back for the wrong he accused Jake of doing. All of these characters offer some kind of payment for their sins. These acts of payment remind us of Jesus. He offers the true payment for humanity’s sin. Jesus paid a price for us to have sins forgiven. The work that Jesus did to pay humanity’s sin debt was His death on the cross (Romans 6:23, Romans 3:23, Romans 5:8).

Sacrifice

The other major theme is sacrifice. Meacham sacrifices himself to save a young boy’s life. Ella sacrifices herself to destroy the evil alien ship and save Earth. These people illustrate the same kind of sacrifice Jesus Christ made for us (John 3:16).

QUESTIONS

How does redemption play out in the film? Can you relate to anyone in the film and their journey for redemption?
How do the acts of the cowboys reveal a need for a Savior?
Meacham is the moral compass of the film. He has tremendous influence on the men in the film. How can we as Christians fulfill that role to the men and women around us?
Everyone makes a sacrifice to save themselves from the alien invasion. What kind of sacrifice have you made to help other people?

Previous Post

August 11, 2015

Matthew 6:24-34 Overcoming Worry

Next Post

August 16, 2015 Ezra 9:1-15 Preparing for a Spiritual Awakening

Browse Our Archives

Select a Category 1 Chronicles 1 Corinthians 1 John 1 Kings 1 Peter 1 Samuel 1 Thessalonians 1 Timothy 2 Chronicles 2 Corinthians 2 John 2 Kings 2 Peter 2 Samuel 2 Thessalonians 2 Timothy 3 John Acts Advent Amos Book Review Colossians Comics Culture Watch Daniel Deuteronomy Ecclesiastes Ephesians Esther Exodus Ezekiel Ezra Galatians Genesis Guest Post Habakkuk Haggai Hebrews Hosea Humor Inspiritational Isaiah James Jeremiah Job Joel John Jonah Joshua Jude Judges Lamentations Lectionary Lent Leviticus Link Love Luke Malachi Mark Matthew Micah Movie Review Nahum Nehemiah Numbers Philippians Political Watch Prophecy Watch Proverbs Psalm Revelation Reviews Romans Ruth Science Watch Sermon Series Sermons Simple Thoughts Song of Solomon Titus Top Ten Uncategorized Video Review Zechariah Zephaniah

Select a Month May 2026 October 2025 September 2025 June 2025 February 2025 January 2025 November 2024 October 2024 September 2024 July 2024 June 2024 April 2024 March 2024 January 2024 November 2023 October 2023 September 2023 June 2023 May 2023 March 2023 February 2023 January 2023 December 2022 October 2022 September 2022 August 2022 July 2022 June 2022 May 2022 January 2022 June 2021 January 2021 October 2020 July 2020 May 2020 April 2020 March 2020 February 2020 January 2020 December 2019 November 2019 October 2019 September 2019 August 2019 July 2019 June 2019 May 2019 April 2019 March 2019 February 2019 January 2019 December 2018 November 2018 October 2018 September 2018 August 2018 July 2018 June 2018 May 2018 April 2018 March 2018 February 2018 January 2018 December 2017 November 2017 October 2017 September 2017 August 2017 July 2017 June 2017 May 2017 April 2017 March 2017 February 2017 January 2017 December 2016 November 2016 October 2016 September 2016 August 2016 July 2016 June 2016 May 2016 April 2016 March 2016 February 2016 January 2016 December 2015 November 2015 October 2015 September 2015 August 2015 July 2015 June 2015 May 2015 April 2015 March 2015 February 2015 January 2015 December 2014 November 2014 October 2014 September 2014 August 2014 July 2014 June 2014 May 2014 April 2014 March 2014 February 2014 January 2014 December 2013 November 2013 October 2013 September 2013 August 2013 July 2013 June 2013 May 2013 April 2013 February 2013 January 2013 December 2012 November 2012 October 2012 September 2012 August 2012 July 2012 June 2012 May 2012 April 2009 June 2008 October 2007 September 2007 August 2007 July 2007 June 2007 May 2007 April 2007 March 2007 February 2007 January 2007 December 2006 October 2006 September 2006 May 2006 April 2006 March 2006 February 2006 January 2006 December 2005 September 2005

TAKE THE

Religious Wisdom Quiz

Who was thrown into a fiery furnace for refusing to worship an idol?

Select your answer to see how you score.

Joseph Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego Gideon Daniel