THE AISLE SEAT - "WILD WILD WEST"
by Mike McGranaghan
There's an important distinction to be made about the value of summer movies. Sometimes you just want to get out of the heat, turn your brain off for two hours, and enjoy something light and silly. The movie doesn't necessarily have to make sense or be of exemplary quality so long as it entertains you in that mindless way you desire. For me, one such film is Wild Wild West. I can see some people seriously hating this film. Personally, I kind of liked it, although explaining exactly why I liked it is going to be a little difficult. Bear with me.
Will Smith stars as gunslinger/government agent Jim West, who is assigned by the President of the United States to investigate the mysterious disappearances of some highly-regarded scientists. During his investigation, he encounters Artemus Gordon (Kevin Kline), an inventor and master of disguise. He's a federal marshal also looking into the matter. And, of course, there's also the requisite sexy babe (Salma Hayek), whose father is among the missing. They all team up and eventually discover that the kidnappings are being devised by a madman named Arliss Loveless (Kenneth Branagh).
The plot of Wild Wild West is odd because it's interesting as a premise but not so interesting as a story. There's some potential, but mostly it serves as an excuse for some gadgetry and special effects. Gordon rides in a train packed with secret compartments and hidden booby traps. Loveless, meanwhile, builds a giant mechanical spider that he uses to carry out his fiendish plan. The effects used here and in other parts of the film are clever, if not always logical.
I have only vague memories of the TV show on which the film is based but Wild Wild West (the movie) is more of an attempt to create an atmosphere than tell a fully coherent story. There is a strange combination of western and science-fiction elements that appealed to me. I was never quite sure what was going to happen next. Hi-tech gadgets are mingled with Old West standbys to create something original and appealingly weird. Weird is the operative word here. You either get into the picture for its intentional weirdness, or you do not. Director Barry Sonnenfeld (Men in Black) has fun with the look of the picture, obviously delighting in the bizarre amalgam of styles that he creates.
The performers add something, too. Will Smith again demonstrates his superstar charisma, and Kevin Kline seems to enjoy wearing Gordon's disguises. I wouldn't exactly say the two have chemistry, but they are such an odd pairing that it provides a kick. Salma Hayek is basically window dressing, her talents wasted on a generic "babe" role (when she bares her bottom, it creates an audible reaction among at least half the audience). Most interesting is Kenneth Branagh, almost unrecognizable under make-up, facial hair, and a special effect that leaves him legless. More than anyone else in the picture, he relishes the chance to play someone over-the-top, and he's quite amusing at it.
I could sit here all day and write about the flaws in Wild Wild West, but why bother? I thought the movie was fun in a dumb kind of way. It doesn't take itself too seriously, so I didn't either. This is exactly the right kind of movie fun for a scorching hot summer day when your brain is too tired to think and will settle for being amused.
(
out of four)
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