Westworld (1973)

With the brand new HBO series of the same name now in full swing, I was curious prior to it starting to see what the original 1973 film Westworld was all about. When the teaser for show landed, it looked intriguing but avoided giving much away. Having now seen the first two episodes, the show appears to be a loose adaptation but anyone in fear of spoilers may want to skip this.

Set in the not-too-distant future of 1983, those with money can pay to go on an exiting trip where they get to explore various worlds of the past that's populated with robotic hosts to make it seem real. This includes Medieval World, Ancient Greece World and Westworld. Two friends, one adventurous (played by James Brolin) and the other more reserved (Richard Benjamin), visit Westworld to enjoy the life of the bygone American old west with its saloon bars and gunfights with outlaws. Along the way they explore the world but continue to encounter an aggressive host in the shape of Yul Brynner and that's when things take a turn for the worse.

The concept behind this had me excited as it was an interesting premise, but not knowing a great deal behind this film I was worried there may have been a reason why it took a new TV series for people to start talking about it. But right within minutes of starting I was pulled into director Michael Crichton's world as he wastes little time in the set-up making it highly accessible with its somewhat dated 1970s charm. Brolin and Benjamin have an easy onscreen friendship which plays a key part in making this a cult classic where the film could have easily failed, and seeing Brynner turning his western filmography upside down was both surreal yet exciting to watch.

The only real issue some might have with Westworld is that air of familiarity. Like other influential films that have fallen under the shadows of what followed, Crichton really paved the way for a lot of what has come since. James Cameron certainly owes a lot for when it came to making The Terminator as does Spielberg with Jurassic Park and also The Hunger Games series. But that still doesn't dent this sci-fi/western hybrid that keeps things exciting and always moving forward, thanks to Crichton making some last-minute decisions in the editing room.

I can't say whether watching this will spoil the TV series or not, but what I can say is that this film is well worth watching. I was entertained throughout and the two leads had me invested all the way through. While the 1970s sequel Futureworld and the 1980s series that followed failed to land an impact, I look forward to seeing how HBO will expand on Crichton's universe moving forward.