Wild Wild West (movie)

For the 1960s television series, see The Wild Wild West.

Wild Wild West (1999) was a science-fiction/historical film directed by Barry Sonnenfeld, starring Will Smith, Kevin Kline, Kenneth Branagh and Salma Hayek. It was inspired by a 1960s television program of the same name.

It was criticized for excessive marketing and poor quality. The film featured footage of a giant mechanical spider, equipped with a flamethrower. Needless to say, the film was riddled with historical inaccuracy, though this was part of the charm of the original TV series. A bigger problem was the casting of Will Smith in the role of Jim West. While a few grumbled at the notion of a black actor playing an established white character, most were simply put off at the anachronistic way West is portrayed in this film.

The film was also criticized for having a handicapped wheelchair bound character played by a "star" (Branagh) who was not handicapped, when various persons associated with the film felt a handicapped individual was qualified for the role. The handicap was the absence of any body below the ribs.