Westworld

Name: Westworld
Genre: Action, Sci-Fi, Thriller, Western
Released: November 21, 1973
Duration: 88 min
Rating: 77
Cast: Richard Benjamin, Yul Brynner

1973

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Generally favorable reviews based on 4 Critic Reviews

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Generally favorable reviews based on 43 Ratings

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Westworld

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Movie Details & Credits

Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM) | Release Date: November 21, 1973 | PG

Starring: Richard Benjamin, Yul Brynner

Summary: For $1,000 a day, vacationers can indulge whims at the theme park called Westworld. They can bust up a bar or bust out of jail, drop in on a brothel or get the drop on a gunslinger. It's all safe: the park's lifelike androids are programmed never to harm the customers. But not all droids are getting with the program. [Warner Bros.]

Director: Michael Crichton

Genre(s): Action, Sci-Fi, Thriller, Western

Rating: PG

Runtime: 88 min

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Critic Reviews

100

Staff (Not Credited)

Westworld is an excellent film, which combines solid entertainment, chilling topicality, and superbly intelligent serio-comic story values. Michael Crichton's original script is as superior as his direction. Read full review

Empire Gavin Bainbridge

The sight of Brynner walking indestructibly toward the camera, all in black, his eyes cold and unerring like a couple of silver bullets, is as haunting as any screen bogeyman. Read full review

TV Guide Magazine Staff (Not Credited)

Brynner is very good, his austere presence and unflinching intent making him seem indestructible. Read full review

Vincent Canby

Crichton the director seems to have had more fun with the film than Crichton the writer, whose screenplay can offer us no better explanation for the sudden, bloody robot rebellion than an epidemic of "central mechanism psychosis." Read full review

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eva3si0n

Jul 28, 2022

Westworld as a film gained popularity after the release of the HBO series. The film certainly doesn't reveal anything new about the series. It is also worth noting that the film does not concentrate on only one amusement park. And although the plot is as simple as possible, it surprises inWestworld as a film gained popularity after the release of the HBO series. The film certainly doesn't reveal anything new about the series. It is also worth noting that the film does not concentrate on only one amusement park. And although the plot is as simple as possible, it surprises in many ways. After all, there is its own terminator here, even before Cameron came up with it)… Expand

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LeZee

Dec 14, 2016

The amusement park where you can go back in time!

I wanted to see it before I get into the new television series of the same name based on this. This is totally amazing film, especially coming from the early 70s. Obviously everyone understands the cowboy culture, because it was from theThe amusement park where you can go back in time!

I wanted to see it before I get into the new television series of the same name based on this. This is totally amazing film, especially coming from the early 70s. Obviously everyone understands the cowboy culture, because it was from the past. But mixing it with the future was the real beauty here. The robots and all, I don't think all the people from that era understood it clearly, but surely they have got entertained. So now, people do have knowledge about the things what in this film was talked, but still this film is effective despite the technology differs.

No doubt this film was the source of inspiration for many films that came after it. That's what I was remembering while watching that so many titles popped in my mind. So hats off to the creator of this. But looking at its rating and reviews, seems an under-rated and under-recognised film. The story was kept simple, not making any complication, either technical terms or characters and the story developments.

The two friends head for an amusement part where they can have the real wild wild west holiday by drawing the arms against the robots. But one day when something goes wrong, one of them who got stranded there, looks for a way out and how he makes it told in the remaining narration. It does not give any reason why malfunction happened. Because that's how things happen right, like when a plane crash, we investigate what caused it later. So in this, it was just focused on a disaster, but the first half of was different which was more an introduction to what kind of world the story sets in.

If 'Star Wars' is the father of all the space films and 'The Lord of the Rings' for all the fantasy films, then this must be the father of all the dystopian films that we see in the present cinema. Certainly it is not a masterpiece, but the idea of the film plot stands alone. It opened the door for the similarly themed films like 'Night of the Living Dead' did for the zombie films. A must, must see film, particularly by the film fanatics.

8/10… Expand

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Spangle

Mar 24, 2017

Transporting viewers to a world of lawlessness, lust, and pure amusement, Westworld introduces you to Delos. Playing host to an amusement park where guests pay $1,000 a day to stay in one of three sections in the park: Westworld, Medieval World, or Roman World. Each allows the guest toTransporting viewers to a world of lawlessness, lust, and pure amusement, Westworld introduces you to Delos. Playing host to an amusement park where guests pay $1,000 a day to stay in one of three sections in the park: Westworld, Medieval World, or Roman World. Each allows the guest to experience a point in history that no longer exists. Along the way, they will encounter robots that either simulate threats from the time, are there for sex, or are simply there to help them out in their stay. However, when the robots begin to malfunction and actually kill guests, John (James Brolin) and Peter (Richard Benjamin) find themselves on the other side of the gun from a gunslinging old west robot known only as The Gunslinger (Yul Brynner). Tracking down his victims with advanced senses and a perfect aim, The Gunslinger and other robots stand as a warning about how, at some point, robots will snag control away from the humans.

It is not hard to immediately see the similarities with Crichton's Jurassic Park with both taking place in a theme park where things go wrong in spite of the architects "sparing no expense". Unfortunately, in the process, they have created things that they cannot control and, in spite of warnings they are dangerous, continue to press on and push the limits of creation. Using this as a setup to warn society of how corporations do not have the best interest of consumers in their minds and how dangerous artificial intelligence can be, Westworld is a thoroughly compelling film that raises interesting questions regarding human ability to do something. If we can do it, should we do it just because we can or should we exercise some measure of judgment? In today's world, the answer should be clear, but as Westworld demonstrates, greed and pride knows no bounds and will continue to cross over the line of what is right and wrong just to prove our capabilities as a race. Unfortunately, it is this exact hubris that will trigger our demise as our creations begin to out pace and exceed the intelligence of the average person.

After watching John Boorman's Point Blank yesterday, it seems like fate that I would watch Crichton's Westworld today due to the climax utilizing a similar sound editing technique as Point Blank. With Peter hiding in the underground system used by the Delos employees to try and get away from The Gunslinger, he can hear the footsteps of The Gunslinger slowly closing in and heightened due to the echoing of the hallways. Closing in, Peter must think quickly to try and defeat the man he has followed him all the way from Westworld and through Roman World looking to kill him. In following him, as many have said, The Gunslinger operates similar to The Terminator with his robotic precision assisting him in being a terrifying opponent in battle. In portraying this, Crichton laces each moment with great tension and really does a terrific job developing the robots and The Gunslinger as fearful opponents who simply cannot be stopped.

Crichton, for a guy not known for directing, excels in the tension of that moment as well as when the robots begin to go rogue. Lacing the film with anticipation when a sex robot named Daphne (Anne Randall) refuses the seduction of a guest and a snake bites John, the film begins to build anticipation. Little clues that things are going wrong are heeded by some scientists, but overruled by the money hungry owners who are fearful of losing guest confidence. Westworld really excels in building up tension to its climactic sequence with those aforementioned small malfunctions laying the seeds for a far more disastrous occurrence, which later arises when the Black Knight (Michael Mikler) finishes off a guest who was jousting for the right to sleep with the Queen in Medieval World. At this point, all hell breaks loose and it borders on becoming a horror film with how much the tension has risen and, thankfully, it is all incredibly well-earned tension. This is a tight and focused thriller with each element hinting at the conclusion and, though there are some internal inconsistencies (how did Peter know where the underground operations rooms are?), Westworld is a heavy hitting science fiction thriller that thrills and provokes adequate science fiction fears and thoughts about the dangers of artificial intelligence. Incredibly fun to watch, Westworld is easy watching as are all of Crichton's works, but it has the capable directing, writing, and pacing that some of his films can sometimes lack. Though a bit dated by now, Westworld still entertains and engages with shocking effectiveness.… Expand

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drlowdon

May 31, 2017

This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. For a princely sum guests can visit authentic recreations of Medieval Europe, Ancient Rome or the Wild West, complete with lifelike androids to enhance the experience. Things suddenly take a turn however when the androids begin to malfunction and attack the guests. I'm sure most people will be at least somewhat familiar with WestWorld, especially since HBO have recently developed a TV show based on the concept, and in the forty years since its release it has certainly become a bit of a cult classic. For a film released so long ago it holds up pretty well for the most part with Yul Brynner's chillingly brilliant performance as "The Gunslinger" being amongst the most iconic in cinema. Personally I think the movie has a few pacing problems and the cliched 70's sci-fi nonsense about why the robots start attacking the guests makes no sense and explains nothing.

Overall though WestWorld is still a good film and well worth watching even today.… Expand

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DawdlingPoet

Nov 25, 2021

This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. This is certainly a thought provoking film, which was quite ahead of its time (it dates from the 1970s). It takes a while for the plot to build but I liked how we see the place being marketed by a TV reporter at the start, interviewing people arriving at an airport, having left the resort. The ending is quite sinister and I think that nowadays, with all the talk of a supposed fully AI generation being on the cards, its almost more contemporary than ever. There is perhaps a bit of a human moral edge to it, in as much as some of the robots were clearly prostitutes and perhaps such people do feel like downtrodden machines at times, right enough. I did think it was a bit cheesy with the way the humans talked at times and also, this is perhaps a slightly 'not here nor there' comment/thought/observation but I did think it seemed a bit random that the music played at the end, while the credits rolled, was banjo music. I suppose it relates to the fact the park is set in the 'ol' Wild West' but still...I suppose I'd assumed/expected more futuristic type music might play? given the film is over 40 years old, it would almost certainly sound quite dated all the same though.

This film works best in terms of making you wonder if such a story could actually happen in real life and to ponder the consequences of making money from large scale AI. As a thought provoking film, I'd recommend it but it is pretty dated and so in terms of an exciting, action/sci-fi type film, it may not appeal greatly to you.… Expand

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amheretojudge

Dec 9, 2018

Crichton's western take isn't Leone's tobacco-consuming and hat-tilting explosion, but a meticulous tour to a tamed arena.
9
Westworld Crichton's western take isn't Leone's tobacco-consuming and hat-tilting explosion, but a meticulous tour to a tamed arena. And as much as layered and headCrichton's western take isn't Leone's tobacco-consuming and hat-tilting explosion, but a meticulous tour to a tamed arena.
9
Westworld

Crichton's western take isn't Leone's tobacco-consuming and hat-tilting explosion, but a meticulous tour to a tamed arena. And as much as layered and head scratching this journey is, it is also loosely placed especially in its initial stages. Despite of having various ingredients to bedazzle us and keep us tangled in its overjoyed tour, it fails to proceed its way up to the arc as anticipated. After this arc, which takes place in its middle act, it is basically a surviving nature of human that keeps us going. And with threats at every corner, the sincerity to the crisp is added through meaningful narration. With parallel tracks brimmed with complications that are piled upon each track, Crichton keeps you at the brisk of your seat in its last act.

Not only the Westworld, but the two other similar world of it, suffers through similar apocalypse that is set in storytelling as a ticking bomb. Unfortunately what it fails to land on, is enough material to feed off its audience for its runtime, for either it could been edited better or should have added another compelling scene to match it. For no matter what, there was very little reasoning to stretch a bar fight that is shot in slow motion.

Unfortunately, Benjamin and Brolin are no match for Brynner's lethal body language, the performance objective is "out of control". Aforementioned, the first half dwells on an exciting entertaining time of our characters' lives which unfortunately isn't shared by the audience in here. Its weak beginning is something that haunts the makers throughout the course. On terms of technical department, the art designing and sharp sound effects is definitely worth taking this tour. Westworld is an another taunt on human's luxurious needs, it is a well crafted caution tale that scares the bejesus out of us.… Expand

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DirigiblePulp

Dec 14, 2016

Perfectly alright as a prelude to both Crichton's amusement park gone wrong perfection Jurassic Park and the later unstoppable cybernetic force of The Terminator. A bit sluggish and not especially thought-provoking.

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