Review by 'Anonymous' on March 27th 1998 (Minor Spoilers.)

I saw what we were told was the first-ever screening of Wild Wild West last night! Here's my sneak review...

The screening was at a theater across from the Silicon Graphics
building in Mountainview -- a sign of CGI effects to come? It was a normal screening, where we had to fill out a form and everything to promise not to put any in formation on the Internet. Are they kidding? We didn't know if it was going to be Matrix or Wild Wild West because they were asking us questions about whether we wanted to see both of them. I hoped it was Matrix, because the commercials look great, but no, it was West.

Overall, just to get it out of the way, I would say that the movie is pretty kickin'. The effects weren't all done. But the sound at least was fully there. I haven't ever seen Will Smith do a bad job, so there was no surprise, and the last thing I saw Kevin Kline in was In and Out, and he was good in that, and he worked well here, esp. partnered with Will Smith. Kenneth Branaugh gets to try another new accent: bad guy southerner.

The plot: I never really saw the tv show, so I can't say if it was faithful to it or not, but it takes place right after the civil war. Branaugh as the bad guy wants to assassinate the president and split the United States back up. Will Smith and Kevin Kline are US agents out to protect the prez and foil the evil plans. Selma Hayek is the love interest for Will Smith.

All in all, there is a lot of action, Will Smith is a big star and shows it. He carries the movie and shows again he can do big, lavish action films without being an idiot. The guy can act. It's funny and the big surprise is this huge mechanical tarantula and other cool gadgets that they use to fight one another.

It is not such a big surprise that this movie is good since it was directed by Barry Sonnenfeld who did Men in Black. I'd give it a B+.

Review posted in our Movie Forum March 27th 1998 (Minor Spoilers.)

Check it out. caught an advance screening of WILD WILD WEST last night at the Century Theater in Mountainview. We waited on a long ass line for around 45 minutes (I thought we would get soaked, it looked like rain) Let me tell ya this film is KICK ASS!!! from beginning to end. Talk about entertainment this puppy has it all: Explosions, gun fights, tons of jokes, cross dressing men, giant mechanical spiders, gadgets, beautiful babes what more do you need. Will Smith plays Jim West he brings charm, sarcasm and a plethora of jokes to character he also loves the ladies. He's not dry and self important like Robert Conrad. I dare ya to knock the battery off his shoulder. My favorite character is Artimus Gordon played by Kevin klein. He is a Master of disguise. He also invents all of the cool gadgets that you see throughout the film. He plays well opposite Will their chemistry is good (standard buddy picture relationship) they hate each other at first but join together to battle the evil force that be. Kenneth Branagh plays the Dr. Loveless. he is EVIL FUN. Best villain I've seen on the silver screen since Hans Grubber (Alan Rickman - Die Hard). He is a legless war vet stuck in a wheel chair and boy is hepissed off. He is protected by a harem of Beautiful Amazonian Bodyguards he has assassination on his mind. Salma (I could be in love) Hayek has a KO body she also has some steamy scenes with West. The M. Emmit Walsh rule applies here any film that he is in is definitely worth seeing. The sound and effects were amazing Despite not being completed (some of the effects shots) The film is smart and well directed. Sonnenfeld weaves the scenes together with his beautiful photography and seamless editing. Go see this film it is without a doubt GOOD FUN!!! It should be the first film to bring people away from Episode 1 this Summer. At the end of the film they played Will Smith's new music video for WILD WILD WEST it's pretty cool. I guess it's a package deal these days with Smith do a movie get a free video.

It's a whole new west.