Westworld (2016)

☆ ☆ ☆ ½

Westworld (2016) – J. Nolan & L. Joy

It’s been eons since I saw the original Westworld (1973) with Yul Brynner as the theme park robot who goes out of control and attacks the guests.  But I remember it somewhat fondly so I thought I would give the HBO update, starring Anthony Hopkins, Thandie Newton, Jeffrey Wright, Evan Rachel Wood, and Ed Harris, a go.  I haven’t really watched too many series in what seems the new golden age of television (apart from Twin Peaks Season 3 and True Detective Season 1, which were both excellent) but I admire the form in that it allows actors and screenwriters to really develop rich characters and for a story to play out across a larger arc.  (That said, I still enjoy the constraints of the 120-minute movie and what can be done within them).  In Westworld, there are numerous storylines that initially feel separate but of course intersect and then come together by the end (over the course of ten 60-minute episodes).  Hopkins and Wright are the scientists who make the robots (and deal with the corporation that has taken over their company/theme park). Newton and Wood are two of the robots who start to verge toward sentience.  Harris is a mysterious guest on a quest.  There are a lot of other strong supporting players who flesh out the onstage (robots) and backstage (workers) stories.  The acting is generally excellent, in fact.  But being HBO, I suppose sex and violence are required – many of the robots spend much of their time naked and of course, there are knifings, shootouts, and the rest the West can offer.  A lot of this does feel gratuitous – and at times, the story drags (or some of the plot strands do).  Yet, suspense is still created so that you want to get to the next episode; i.e. there are enough surprising plot twists (“reveals”) to keep you watching.  However, I’m not sure proper justice has been served for the deeper questions about artificial intelligence and its role in the world’s future.  Sure, humans are base and self-interested; sure, robots are a billion times smarter. Perhaps the ethical and moral issues will be (were) at the heart of Season 2 (2018)?  But I’m not sure that I will stick around to find out; there seems to be less here than meets the eye.  The constraints of a shorter running time might have helped -- or maybe I’m just being too tough on what is essentially popcorn fare with some vaguely highbrow pretensions.