Wild Wild West
I must say, when it comes to
movies and music, I love things that can’t be classified into just one specific
genre. This is why Wild Wild West, which
has been classified as a steampunk western action-comedy film, is right up my
alley. It has both physical humor and
clever wordplay. It is, however, very
unique and doesn’t appeal to all audiences, hence its 21% rating on Rotten
Tomatoes, a website on which a perfect movie would be rated at 100%.
For those who are unfamiliar with
this movie, have a link to the trailer.
The general idea is that the characters
of Will Smith and Kevin Kline are forced to team up and overcome their
differences in order to stop Dr. Loveless, the evil, legless ex-Confederate
general played by Kenneth Branagh.
Absurd steampunk technologies appear, and awesomeness ensues.
Physical Humor
Kevin Kline plays an eccentric
inventor, and much of the humor in the movie stems from the unexpected use of
his gadgets. Everything from a flying
machine to a pool table trap to a closet full of disguises lead to amusing
antics.
Banter
Jim West (Will Smith) exchanges
clever banter with Dr. Loveless throughout the movie. Much of the humor comes from subtle puns and
jabs, rather than outright insults. In
my opinion, this makes the banter even funnier than if it had been comprised of
overt insults.
Comic Relief
In an alternate universe, Wild
Wild West is a serious movie.
Fortunately, we don’t live in that universe. The constant joking, banter, and physical
humor keep the movie light. Suspension
of disbelief is definitely necessary to enjoy Wild Wild West. Fake science abounds, and there is a lot of
joking in situations that would otherwise be very serious.
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