Since trying out a number of different styles with his films, Clint Eastwood has more recently cornered the amrket in light drama tinged with comedy. Not to mention new concepts to keep his movie life active.

Here he, Tommy Lee Jones, Donald Sutherland and James Garner - each exercising his own brand of machismo - play veteran airmen, relics of the sound barrier years now destined to go into space on a crucial rescue mission.

Soon dubbed by the media as 'the ripe stuff', the 'space cowboys' are the team that designed Ikon - an ancient satellite (now suffering a systems failure) that cannot be allowed to re-enter the earth's atmosphere - for a hidden reason most of you will probably work out pretty quickly.

As usual with these things, the first half is the best, with the vets, trained to breaking point, given such lines as 'I'm gonna go to my room and cry' or 'I'm too tired to chew'. As it's the concept of old men in space that catches your attention, there's a need for a twist or two to boost the interest in the latter stages.

The outer space stuff is nicely done but we've seen it before and the film slows badly when we get to it. Sutherland and William Devane, as the flight controller, are outstanding in a solid ensemble cast.

For fans of the actors it's a good laugh from start to finish. But for others of you it's a little slow. All in all though, it's good hearted fun.