This movie review was a request from  pino.noir. I hope you like it, friend!

In 1958, the members of Team Daedalus, a group of top Air Force test pilots, are all set to finally make it into space when they get the bad news that they are to be replaced by a chimpanzee. Fast forward to the modern day and a Russian communications satellite is about to come crashing down to Earth. The only living person who is familiar with the workings of the satellite's obsolete systems is Frank Corvin (Clint Eastwood), one of the members of the old Team Daedalus. Frank agrees to fix the problem as long as the rest of his old team goes up with him, William 'Hawk' Hawkins (Tommy Lee Jones), 'Tank' Sullivan (James Garner) and Jerry O'Neill (Donald Sutherland). Then there is the question of just how a Russian satellite came to have an electronic system designed by Americans.

I always like it in movies when the old folks show the young 'uns how it's done. Space Cowboys is no different. The youngsters in the Space Program might think that Frank Corvin and his team are past it, but they give the young whipper-snappers what-for. It helps that Corvin and his team are played by talented veteran actors. I have seen many movies with these actors and they are always great. There are too many good Clint Eastwood movies to list here, so I'll spare you the boredom. I loved Tommy Lee Jones in The Fugitive and Men in Black (yes, even the sequels). I even liked Jones in his cheesy villainous roles from the likes of Under Siege and Batman Forever (yes, I actually liked Batman Forever).

When I think of Donald Sutherland movies my first thought is the chilling end of Invasion of the Body Snatchers. Then there are a couple of war movies he appeared in during the 60's and 70's, The Dirty Dozen, Kelly's Heroes, and M*A*S*H. Let's not forget the vampire segment from Dr. Terror's House of Horrors either. I have to admit that James Garner is the actor whose movies I have seen the least of. There was the Maverick remake starring Mel Gibson and his voice role as the villainous Rourke in Atlantis: The Lost Empire. Those are the only other movies of his that I have seen I'm afraid.

The movie starts out as more of a lighthearted comedy as Frank Corvin and his team try to prove that they are fit enough to go into space. Things soon take a more serious turn when they actually get into space and the truth of the Russian communications satellite is revealed. No movie about a space mission is complete without a tense re-entry scene and Space Cowboys doesn't disappoint. The scene isn't quite as tense as the similar scene from Apollo 13, but I will be lying if I said my heart wasn't beating fast when I was watching it.

My rating: 4 stars.