Movie Review: Wild Wild West (1999)

Synopsis: A pair of feuding government agents are given the task of locating kidnapped scientists and stumble upon a villain's plot to overthrow the United States' government using advanced weaponry.

Who's in it? The movie stars Will Smith, Kevin Kline, Salma Hayek, Ted Levine, M. Emmet Walsh and Kenneth Branagh.


Review: My wife and I came across this movie last night and, since the kids weren't in bed yet (meaning we had to hold off on watching a horror movie), we ended up watching this film. I've seen this movie about a half dozen times and can understand why there are people who don't like this film. However, I've always thought it was a bit underrated.

Sure, there are plenty of things not to like about this movie. The special effects are, at times, a little weak. And, the plot isn't exactly historically accurate. That being said, there are also quite a few things to like too.

My personal reason for liking this movie is the way Will Smith and Kevin Kline play off of each other. Their characters are complete opposites of each other and their constant feuding throughout the movie is as entertaining as the main plot itself and a big part of the reason why the movie doesn't end up being as predictable as it has the potential to be.

The addition of Salma Hayek (who plays a character claiming to be a scientist's daughter) to that equation also keeps the movie entertaining. This is both because of the two main characters both being attracted to her and because it's somewhat obvious she isn't being completely honest with them. As a result, it's hard to tell what sort of impact she will have on the movie, including whether or not she will eventually betray them.

Final Opinion: As I said, there are things about this movie that I'm sure justify it being disliked by many who have seen it. However, if you are able to overlook the weaknesses, the movie does manage to be an entertaining comedy and is worth taking the time to watch at least once.

My Grade: B

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