TV watcher

Wild Wild West

review by Orlando C. Fernando

July 7, 1999

Storyline: 6.5 (0=worst, 10=best)
Originality: 3
Acting: 7
Special Effects: 8.5
Overall: B- (F=worst, A=best)

Take a classic TV series show, set it in an American Western light and you have this movie. This comedy action romp puts two top 18th century lawmen Jim West (Will Smith) and Artemus Gordon (Kevin Kline) as two sidekicks who must work together to bring the evil Dr. Loveless (Kenneth Branagh), and his giant traveling spider machine, to justice. Jim has great marksmanship while Artemus has great weapons and inventions. In fact, a couple of the inventions go right down to a decent woman's disguise for Artemus, right up to the bust! And as you can guess, Jim and Artemus both share the same trait of big egos and loners.

A ction is the real name of the game for this movie, followed by the comedy. The plot seems really there to support the action and not the other way around. It does deserve credit for inventive gadgets to get through their capers. "Wild Wild West" does not try to be deep in storyline. It just gives enough for you to figure out who the good guys and bad guys are, throw in a US president (or two), and how our heroes will save the land.

O verall, it's an adequate action movie, and yes, I know that adjective sounds plain. I don't feel the same exhilaration as in "Men In Black" (Will Smith's recent action comedy movie) as this plot's action tends to be more predictable. The duo Will and Kevin do work fine together though Salma Hayek, who plays Rita Escobar who winds up tagging along with them, really seems there to be just eye candy. Worth a matinee ticket but probably not full admission. I suppose it's one way of looking at the wild west...if you consider giant mechanical spiders a possible invention of the 1800's.