The movie adaptation of the classic Western TV series, Wild Wild West, directed by Barry Sonnenfeld and starring Will Smith, was a critical and commercial failure. The film's biggest mistake was its attempt to reinvent the series, which was beloved by Baby Boomers, in a way that missed the mark entirely. The movie's creative decisions were botched, resulting in a film that was neither a true adaptation nor a successful spoof. The core issue lay in the casting choices, particularly for the lead characters, James West and Artemis Gordon.
In the original series, James West, played by Robert Conrad, was a dashing and cocksure hero, akin to James Bond on a horse. Ross Martin's Artemis Gordon was a Q-like inventor of gadgets and a master of disguise. Their dynamic and the show's sense of humor were derived from Gordon's elaborate disguises, which were broad but never overwhelmed the action-packed plots. However, in the movie, Will Smith's portrayal of James West fell flat, lacking the bruising proficiency in punch-ups that Conrad's character embodied.
The film's attempt to spoof the series backfired, as it played its set pieces for laughs instead of embracing the outlandish premise. This led to a tonally inconsistent movie, with a James West who was nowhere near as proficient in punch-ups as the original character. The casting of Kevin Kline as Gordon, portrayed as a clown, further exacerbated the issue. The movie's deep travesty of the series was so significant that Robert Conrad himself spoke out against it, suggesting that West should have been played by a combination of Wesley Snipes and Denzel Washington.
The film's violation of the show's essence was particularly evident in the portrayal of the villainous Dr. Loveless. In the series, the character was brilliantly depicted by the little person actor Kevin Dunn. However, the movie turned the character into a double-amputee, a grievous violation of the show's special qualities. The director, Barry Sonnenfeld, later argued in his memoir that the movie could have worked if George Clooney hadn't dropped out of playing Gordon. However, the damage was already done, and the film's failure was undeniable.
In conclusion, the movie Wild Wild West missed the mark by attempting to reinvent a beloved series in a way that was tonally off and creatively botched. The casting choices, particularly for the lead characters, were a significant factor in the film's failure. The movie's attempt to spoof the series backfired, resulting in a film that was neither a true adaptation nor a successful spoof. The film's deep travesty of the series was so significant that Robert Conrad himself spoke out against it, highlighting the film's failure to capture the essence of the original show.
