Wild Wild West - What Went Wrong (Wild Wild West (DVD))

Member Name: shalimar

Product:	Wild Wild West (DVD)
Date:	20/11/00 (20 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Mildly entertaining.

Disadvantages: Very dumb.

Directed by – Barry Sonnenfeld
Starring – Will Smith, Kevin Kline, Kenneth Branagh, Salma Hayek
Length – 106 minutes

This film sounds all too good doesn’t it? I mean you’ve got the director of ‘Men in Black’ on board here. Plus a great cast. Let’s not forget the special effects (something that’s essential in every summer blockbuster!). And then there’s the story… just what is the story anyway?

Set in 1869 we find that the President of the United States of America is in need of help after he finds out that ‘mad-man’ Dr Arliss Loveless (Branagh) has kidnapped all of the scientists to create a major super weapon! In comes James West (Smith), a hip gunslinger, and Artemus Gordon (Kline), a gadget happy master of disguise (who we see early on disguised as a woman!). They must both put their differences behind them and work together to save the President! Along the way they meet the voluptuous ‘entertainer’ Rita (Hayek) who is looking for her father, one of the scientists Loveless has kidnapped. It all sounds very simple and is pretty easy to follow along!

The film is quite an over blown, special effects, western comedy. It works in places though calling it a comedy is another matter. There aren’t really that many jokes. Or maybe I missed some of them! Sure there are a few laughs to be had but the comedy is very weak and there isn’t really a particular moment that’ll have you screaming your head off! Plus the script isn’t exactly a masterpiece. There aren’t really many sharp lines or great humour, as one would expect. I guess it all sounds far too simple!

The partnership between Smith and Kline fits very well! Like ‘Men in Black’, the buddy element works and keeps you watching! Its just two great actors on fine form that seem to be enjoying themselves a little too much! The villain Loveless
played by Branagh is a very manic character who drives around in his steam-powered wheelchair, as Arliss Loveless is legless! Quite an over the top villain and it's a little surprisng seeing Branagh playing this role.

The special effects are great and come into full effect towards the second half of the film. The gadget galore train is very impressive with switches and buttons hidden just about everywhere. But it’s probably not as impressive as Loveless’ super weapon - an amazingly huge mechanical tarantula! The costumes and sets in the film are also something that stand out and they do look rather lovely! They really do!

The film has some really good ideas yet the film just looks very silly at times! The whole thing plays like a dumb cartoon, as it never really takes things too seriously. But in the end it is fun-filled entertainment and there isn’t a single boring minute! If you want some simple entertainment and nothing else then this is it. Fun but very stupid!

Points of Interest:
·The film is rumoured to have cost up to $150 to $175 million due to expensive re-shoots!
·The film was to undergo re-shoots after test-screening audiences just didn’t find the film funny enough! Plus it’s also rumoured that test audiences gave the film bad reviews because, due to an administrative error, they thought they were there to see ‘The Matrix’!
·The mechanical tarantula seen in the film obviously has its eight legs yet only one was built to create the CGI effect.
·The film is based on the 60’s TV series ‘The Wild Wild West’.

Summary: