In the mid-60s there was a show called "Wild Wild West" that starred Robert Conrad as James "Jim" West, a western version of James Bond, and Ross Martin as his brainy sidekick Artemus Gordon. This show was creative and intelligent and yet full of action. The movie "Wild Wild West" starring Will Smith and Kevin Kline has nothing to do with that television show, unfortunately.Will Smith is another Jim West and Kevin Kline is another Artemus Gordon in an alternate universe that never existed. In this universe the Wright brothers apparently were asleep as Artemus and Jim were tooling around a giant steam-powered iron spider that is unlikely to exist in any imaginable reality. Indeed, the only point of any vague historical accuracy is that there was a President Grant and there was a meeting of the railroads. After that, this movie is "The Twilight Zone" in the west.
In this fantasy movie Kenneth Branagh plays Dr. Loveless. Once again, forget the wonderful Michael Dunn as the original Dr. Loveless. Branagh has none of the charm and wit of the original. Dr. Loveless has decided to create his own empire based on the ability of his giant spider to trounce anyone who gets in his way. However, he seemed to have neglected to consider that an open cockpit is a sure way to eventually be shot. Along the way we see a number of other equally improbable devices that make for interesting special effects but continual disappointment with the movie.
I have yet to mention that not only is this west some bizarre fantasy version of the original west, but this version of Jim West has a continual string of one-liners that would have allowed him to do stand-up, but not in the alternate reality of this movie where no one seemed to understand his jokes, often including the audience. Kevin Kline also had a number of humorous lines, though his were more ironic and involved, and typically based on technology that exists only in the alternate reality of this world.
This movie does have its moments. If you like comedy and know little about the original "Wild Wild West," you may find the comedy overwhelms the total destruction of history and scientific feasibility; or perhaps you like stories of alternate realities. The special effects are wonderful. I admit that when I could overcome my disappointment that there was no attempt to remain within the vision of the original show I was fascinated by the gadgets. However, gadgetry alone does not overcome the unbelievable story.
Oh, and as if all the other flaws in the movie were not enough to disappoint a viewer, the DVD includes Will Smith doing a hip-hop song. Hip-hop in the west? Perhaps I watched this movie from the wrong perspective. Maybe if I had taken it for a farce, like "Monty Python and the Holy Grail," I would have liked the movie better. Then again, probably not.
Will Smith is stripped of the charisma that is his best selling point. Kevin Kline, a talented actor is reduced to playing second banana to an uninteresting hero and I have a hard time remembering Salma Hayek is in the movie.
I didn't really expect it to be "good", but I at least expected it to entertain me, instead of providing rest I didn't need. What a waste!first they cast a black man as an undercover agent in the wild west where he would never be able to help as they would never let him in most places. remember this was before political correctiness or civil rights. then they turn one of the best villins on t.v. into a racist man missing most of his body. then they add state of the art f/x and think they have a great movie. it's pure trash and gets one star because you can't give no stars. a waste and you should see the t.v. show if you want to see this concept really work well. just not good at all, a mess.
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When you go to see a Will Smith movie, you expect it to be entertaining and fast-paced. A movie with Kevin Kline might have your expectations leaning more in the direction of cerebral, tight-knit & solid entertainment. If Salma Hayek is in it, well ....at least you expect a flick with visual appeal ...1, 2, 3 STRIKES...Wild Wild West STRIKES OUT! TALK ABOUT DROPPING THE BALL ! Will Smith, whose laid-back, street-wise-cracking veneer,usually hides a well-focused on screen in tensity that is both impossible to miss ordislike ...seemed to be sauntering through the film, feeling embarrassedly like a walking anachronism, considering the "Old West" backdrop! Kevin Kline, on the other hand, who usually brings a certain air of bravura to his oft-times eccentric characterizations, seemed to display a marked inability to take himself seriously when in drag, (Which, unfortunately, is during a good chunk of the film)lapsing into a pathetic sort self-parody, which, considering the script, may have been the only way he could stomach the role ! Salma Hayek, for whom no one is exactly holding their breath for her to win an Oscar as Best Actress, seemed OBSESSED with getting her lines out with as little accent as possible...Despite the fact that she was clearly cast as Mexican in this film...(As opposed to her bit part in The FACULTY!) You could almost imagine "La Mejicanita" standing there, during shooting, with her Accent/ Dialogue Coach, just out of camera range! Salma... concentrate MORE on your ACTING, next time, O.K.?As far as Barry Sonnenfled's Directing is concerned...well, here we could imagine him running around frantically, till the last minute, editing & re-editing, trying to decide exactly what it is he was trying to do with "WILD"....and of course, not even coming CLOSE to getting it right!
The ONLY reason I rated the movie 2 Stars (as opposed to 0 Stars!) is because of the scope & the
novelty of the Special Effects. The idea of seeing all those well orquestrated, and at times visually stunning effects against an Old West backdrop was the only refreshing & original element in the film ...If you are not a diehard Special Effects buff, I can think of absolutely no reason on earth why you would find anything at all worth seeing in this pathetic excuse for a Blockbuster film !
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WHAT A PIECE OF JUNK. they have taken a great tv show, which many of us fondly and raped it. this is so wrong headed i don't know where to start,but here goes.1. why would they make a black man an agent in the 1800's when he couldn't go in many places and would stick out like a sore thumb. because of the race change for jim west this becomes series of crass racial jokes and has no place in a light hearted adventure series. in fact the tv show never stuped to that level,infact it showed that west's greatest villin was the small in size only dr.loveless played by the great michael dunn!he and west were always evenly matched and had great respect for each other,even when loveless was tring to kill him.
2.the changeing of loveless's person to a legless southern general,and once again the race card is used to makeloveless less likeable when on the show you really liked him even if he was a mad ,evil man.
well you get the idea this is the reason you should leave some things left unmade or in this case unremade. just the pits ,DON'T WASTE YOUR MONEY ON THIS, instead by the complete first season of "THE WILD,WILD,WEST in june of 06 and see what the movie should have been.
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