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Years ago, I saw the film version by Michael Crichton on Television, may well have been on HBO. I've only a vague memory of it, and I think I saw it in the 1980s. It was one of those classic films that my parents raved about, they're film buffs and loved Westerns and Science Fiction, Westworld was sort of both.
While the original was interesting in places, it was more of a thriller than much else. Also got referenced in various films after it. Now years later, I'm watching a television series adapted from that film, executive produced by JJ Abhrams, and starring Anthony Hopkins, Jeffrey Wright, Thandie Newton, Ed Harris, Rachel Evan Wood, James Marsden, and Shannon Woodward, amongst others.
While it had good reviews, particularly from EW, I went in with low expectations. But, it may well be the best pilot of a television series that I've seen since Game of Thrones or in quite some time.
It's a weird and rather compelling blend of thriller and meta-narrative on various story-telling, film and television tropes. Asking various philosophical and moral questions without sacrificing story, plot or character in the process -- if anything the questions further the story and characters than the reverse. It reminds me a little of the Matrix meets I Robot by way of the Terminator, but with a bit more depth and subtlety.
The story is about a theme park inhabited by life-like replicas of human beings, animals, etc - all created from synthetic materials and machinery, then programmed with personalites, and scripts. They are considered the hosts. The hosts' sole purpose is to entertain and satisfy the whims, whatever that may be, of the guests or newcomers. Whether those whims are the newcomers darkest desires, or wildest dreams. The hosts are mindwiped after each ride or visit. Then put back into action.
Dolores played by Rachel Evan Wood rides off to town each morning, meets her beau, only to return home to find her family dead, her beau, Teddy, played by Marsden, killed, and herself, raped by one of the guests. This is just one of various story threads that play out over and over for the hosts.
When we enter the story, Westworld has been operating for well on 30 years. And the programmers/makers have instituted an upgrade that implements "revelries" or remembered gestures that make the hosts appear to be more real. Unfortunately this appears to result in a glitch in some of the updated hosts or awareness. And they begin to either act off script or glitch. Nervous they'll become a danger, the management of Westworld, or the security, insists that the makers/programmers shut them down or remove the upgrade. The makers insist it isn't an issue and easily corrected.
There's a few interconnecting sub-threads, such as Ed Harris, who plays a guest who has been visiting the park for years, enacting his own sociopathic fantasies, and playing some sort of game with the park, hunting for a deeper level -- bored with its programmed story-threads, he plays at pulling it off-script. And a few of the hosts are becoming self-aware, more importantly, they are figuring out how to hide it from the managers.
While this may not sound all that compelling on paper -- it is on the screen. The writing and acting pull you in. Anthony Hopkins and Jeffrey Wright are rather mesmerizing as they philosophize about social Darwinism, evolution and the nature of awareness, neither quite cognizant of the consequences of their own actions -- or rather attempts to play God. They are both cold Gods, who care little for their creations or what has been down to them. Man as God is but a cold calculating scientist without a conscience or the ability to grant free will. An old theme, but handled differently here - for both...seem at one point or another to begin to question it. And neither seems to believe there is a power outside of themselves. Rachel Evan Wood is equally mesmerizing as she slowly begins to wonder and question, whether she has control over how things will play out and the script she's been given.
On top of all this, there's a rather interesting and somewhat compelling meta-narrative on violence and the Western -- or why the violence is there and to the degree that it is pandering to the viewer. Is it reality or is it what the guests expect and request? Years ago, I read about and was rather appalled by a video game entitled "Rape Play". A discussion regarding it inadvertently lead to the breakup of a 25 year old friendship -- hence the reason I can't quite forget it. My friend had argued that there was nothing wrong with the video game that it should be permitted and not made illegal. People were entitled to their fantasies no matter how horrific. And entitled to play them out in a safe setting -- after all it was just a video game, the people in it weren't real. But, I argued back, appalled by her reasoning, giving in to that fantasy, playing it out, even in just video game setting -- is not only exploitative of real victims, but allows for a behavior pattern, without any consequences. It also encourages a certain type of thinking and may through repetitious play inadvertently reinforce it. (I wasn't nearly that eloquent, nor was that the only thing that we fought over, but it was the beginning of the end.) I still find the fact that that game existed appalling, but not surprising. I bring it up, because Westworld comments on the games like Rape Play, Grand Theft Auto, etc...where people can live out their violent fantasies. Rape and kill the homesteaders, shoot the villain after he goes on a killing spree, while the writers worry over making it a more interesting story -- tired of the rehashed script.
What is it about us as a species, the makers wonder, that causes us to seek out violent fantasies and stories? Why do we believe violence makes us safe? And we do we seek it in our films, television shows, video games, etc? And what are the consequences of doing that continuously?
Unlike Game of Thrones -- Westworld appears to comment on its violence and question the viewers desire for it. Also unlike most HBO series, the nudity is not exploitive but used to show vulnerability - the vulnerability of the robots who are poked and proded by their makers, nude in the complex, as they are diagnosed and examined, wiped and updated.
In some respects, Westworld reminds me a little of Joss Whedon's Dollhouse, but far better written and constructed. It has the structure that Whedon's show lacked, as well as the talent. There are no weak links here, and Rachel Evan Wood is far more nuanced an actress than Eliza Dusku was. While Whedon's Dollhouse seemed to insanely careen all over the place, this story seems rather tightly constructed and plotted.
There are some isolated and rather creepy moments here and there. And I found myself caring about most of the characters and curious as to where this would lead. It was by far the most compelling new series that I've seen to date, and the best written and acted.
Will definitely continue watching.
A +
While the original was interesting in places, it was more of a thriller than much else. Also got referenced in various films after it. Now years later, I'm watching a television series adapted from that film, executive produced by JJ Abhrams, and starring Anthony Hopkins, Jeffrey Wright, Thandie Newton, Ed Harris, Rachel Evan Wood, James Marsden, and Shannon Woodward, amongst others.
While it had good reviews, particularly from EW, I went in with low expectations. But, it may well be the best pilot of a television series that I've seen since Game of Thrones or in quite some time.
It's a weird and rather compelling blend of thriller and meta-narrative on various story-telling, film and television tropes. Asking various philosophical and moral questions without sacrificing story, plot or character in the process -- if anything the questions further the story and characters than the reverse. It reminds me a little of the Matrix meets I Robot by way of the Terminator, but with a bit more depth and subtlety.
The story is about a theme park inhabited by life-like replicas of human beings, animals, etc - all created from synthetic materials and machinery, then programmed with personalites, and scripts. They are considered the hosts. The hosts' sole purpose is to entertain and satisfy the whims, whatever that may be, of the guests or newcomers. Whether those whims are the newcomers darkest desires, or wildest dreams. The hosts are mindwiped after each ride or visit. Then put back into action.
Dolores played by Rachel Evan Wood rides off to town each morning, meets her beau, only to return home to find her family dead, her beau, Teddy, played by Marsden, killed, and herself, raped by one of the guests. This is just one of various story threads that play out over and over for the hosts.
When we enter the story, Westworld has been operating for well on 30 years. And the programmers/makers have instituted an upgrade that implements "revelries" or remembered gestures that make the hosts appear to be more real. Unfortunately this appears to result in a glitch in some of the updated hosts or awareness. And they begin to either act off script or glitch. Nervous they'll become a danger, the management of Westworld, or the security, insists that the makers/programmers shut them down or remove the upgrade. The makers insist it isn't an issue and easily corrected.
There's a few interconnecting sub-threads, such as Ed Harris, who plays a guest who has been visiting the park for years, enacting his own sociopathic fantasies, and playing some sort of game with the park, hunting for a deeper level -- bored with its programmed story-threads, he plays at pulling it off-script. And a few of the hosts are becoming self-aware, more importantly, they are figuring out how to hide it from the managers.
While this may not sound all that compelling on paper -- it is on the screen. The writing and acting pull you in. Anthony Hopkins and Jeffrey Wright are rather mesmerizing as they philosophize about social Darwinism, evolution and the nature of awareness, neither quite cognizant of the consequences of their own actions -- or rather attempts to play God. They are both cold Gods, who care little for their creations or what has been down to them. Man as God is but a cold calculating scientist without a conscience or the ability to grant free will. An old theme, but handled differently here - for both...seem at one point or another to begin to question it. And neither seems to believe there is a power outside of themselves. Rachel Evan Wood is equally mesmerizing as she slowly begins to wonder and question, whether she has control over how things will play out and the script she's been given.
On top of all this, there's a rather interesting and somewhat compelling meta-narrative on violence and the Western -- or why the violence is there and to the degree that it is pandering to the viewer. Is it reality or is it what the guests expect and request? Years ago, I read about and was rather appalled by a video game entitled "Rape Play". A discussion regarding it inadvertently lead to the breakup of a 25 year old friendship -- hence the reason I can't quite forget it. My friend had argued that there was nothing wrong with the video game that it should be permitted and not made illegal. People were entitled to their fantasies no matter how horrific. And entitled to play them out in a safe setting -- after all it was just a video game, the people in it weren't real. But, I argued back, appalled by her reasoning, giving in to that fantasy, playing it out, even in just video game setting -- is not only exploitative of real victims, but allows for a behavior pattern, without any consequences. It also encourages a certain type of thinking and may through repetitious play inadvertently reinforce it. (I wasn't nearly that eloquent, nor was that the only thing that we fought over, but it was the beginning of the end.) I still find the fact that that game existed appalling, but not surprising. I bring it up, because Westworld comments on the games like Rape Play, Grand Theft Auto, etc...where people can live out their violent fantasies. Rape and kill the homesteaders, shoot the villain after he goes on a killing spree, while the writers worry over making it a more interesting story -- tired of the rehashed script.
What is it about us as a species, the makers wonder, that causes us to seek out violent fantasies and stories? Why do we believe violence makes us safe? And we do we seek it in our films, television shows, video games, etc? And what are the consequences of doing that continuously?
Unlike Game of Thrones -- Westworld appears to comment on its violence and question the viewers desire for it. Also unlike most HBO series, the nudity is not exploitive but used to show vulnerability - the vulnerability of the robots who are poked and proded by their makers, nude in the complex, as they are diagnosed and examined, wiped and updated.
In some respects, Westworld reminds me a little of Joss Whedon's Dollhouse, but far better written and constructed. It has the structure that Whedon's show lacked, as well as the talent. There are no weak links here, and Rachel Evan Wood is far more nuanced an actress than Eliza Dusku was. While Whedon's Dollhouse seemed to insanely careen all over the place, this story seems rather tightly constructed and plotted.
There are some isolated and rather creepy moments here and there. And I found myself caring about most of the characters and curious as to where this would lead. It was by far the most compelling new series that I've seen to date, and the best written and acted.
Will definitely continue watching.
A +