Cowgirls vs. Pterodactyls

One doesn't go into a film titled "Cowgirls vs Pterodactyls" and expect cerebral fiction. If you're in the right mood., this is one of those "so bad it's fun" films. In places it moves slower than a constipated snail, but other than that it's a romp.

First thing to realize: this is intentional schlock. It's not an "Asylum bad" film... this is intentional camp and absurdity. To mention just a few points that happen within in the first 5 minutes of the movie:

* Pre-credit rubber pterodactyl props * Cracking whip and horse whinys in the theme soundtrack * Narrarator: "They were indeed pterodactyls... creatures, that no MAN could stop..." * Nice opening credit landscapes with ridiculously large lettering. * Narrarator: "Our story begins on a dark, and stormy night." * A cowboy is smoking a FILTERED cigarette * Many of the guns are obvious toys. This had to be intentional, because real black powder pistols aren't expensive. * They actually used stop-animation along with paper mache puppet heads rather than CGI

Best line in the movie: "Yaaay horsies!"

I didn't go in taking this movie seriously, and as a result somewhat enjoyed the terrible directing, hammy acting and ludicrous script. I actually chuckled at a few of the lines and comic bits-- which says something of itself.

This isn't a "bad" movie. It's a goofy movie; there's a major difference. If not for the current pandemic I would actually put this on my "watch with friends and have a good laugh" list. They'll either enjoy it with you or question your sanity. : )

Right, well with a title such as "Cowgirls vs. Pterodactyls", then you pretty much know beforehand what you are getting yourself into here. And chances are that this movie will either be downright terrible and unwatchable, or it might actually just be so bad and cheesy that it turns out to be fun to watch.

And luckily it was the latter. Yeah, "Cowgirls vs. Pterodactyls" is a bad movie, no doubt about it. I mean, just look at the storyline and script; it is so far fetches that it makes absolutely no sense. But the movie manages to be so corny and cheesy that it was actually fun to watch.

Seriously, who comes up with ideas such as "Cowgirls vs. Pterodactyls"? Well, in this case, writer and director Joshua Kennedy did.

The special effects in this 2021 movie are bad, very, very bad. Trust me. But it is part of what makes it fun to watch a movie such as this. It is just beyond me that special effects of that magnitude still manage to get to see the light of day in this age. "Cowgirls vs. Pterodactyls" makes use of some horrible outdated special effects, but you can't help but laugh at the pterodactyls whenever you see them on the screen, given their horrible animation and stop motion jerky movements.

The acting in "Cowgirls vs. Pterodactyls" was as to be expected for a movie of this caliber. So you know what you are getting here. Yup, this is not a Shakespearian display of thespian skills and art.

"Cowgirls vs. Pterodactyls" is a campy movie for a particular audience that enjoy these types of bad horrible B-movies. So if you sit down to watch writer and director Joshua Kennedy's movie with the intention of seeing a full-fledged serious movie, then you'll be sorely disappointed.

My rating of "Cowgirls vs. Pterodactyls" lands on a less than mediocre four out of ten stars. This was by no means a grand piece of cinematic history.

Lets just call "Cowgirls vs. Pterodactyls" what it is.

A $3000.00 home movie. Some kids are seriously spoiled!

A woman sees her husband killed by a group of "pteranodons", and unable to get the local Sheriff to help her, goes out on her own to destroy the euphonious beasts. Gathering together a group of misfits, and a female gunslinger, they do battle with the stop-motion creatures. There are faux moments of female empowerment that simply grate in their naivety.

Direction is limited to extended closeup of people mincing and rolling their eyes, performances are less believable than anything Edward D. Wood and Dolores Fuller attempted.

While there are some stop-motion animated creatures, they are less credible than a hand puppet (which is also used). Effects are amateurish, performances are are not even phoned in, and the dialogue is trite and juvenile.

This is simply a very bad film.

But I guess when your goal is to make a bad film, Success is it's own justification. But then, so is navel gazing.

This is not Jurassic Park. This is not a great film. It is however, a fun film. If you go in to it with the right attitude you might enjoy it. Sometimes that's all I want.

Don't bother. The special effects are truly dreadful but they are stellar in comparison to the script.