What will the robot revolution mean for you?
Let it be said that I love the hell out of the science fiction genre, especially when it comes to the works of esteemed authors like Michael Crichton. I was never quite able to explore his library of work in depth, but I knew that I had to check out the premiere of Westworld as soon as I heard about the project. Since I knew that it was going to be on HBO, I was expecting a bounty of violence and nudity to go with my science fiction. With that said, did it measure up to my lofty expectations?
Yes! This is one of the easiest yeses I’ve had to give in the history of this blog!
The Cast Sells The Concept.
Welcome back to our TVs, Sir Anthony. You’re going to be great!
It says something about the quality of a production when it has one of the finest mixtures of new stars and heavy hitters I’ve seen in a long time. The primary drivers of the show are arguably Anthony Hopkins and Jeffrey Wright, who play Dr. Robert Ford and Bernard Lowe, respectively. It’s really nice to see two great actors bring their A-game as they explore the creative side of Westworld. Viewers will get a good sense of what drives them from their first moments on screen, which is a testament to their abilities in an industry like this.
Down in the fields of Westworld, Evan Rachel Wood, James Marsden, Rodrigo Santoro, and Ed Harris are bringing their best as well. Thus far, I think that Wood’s Dolores Abernathy and Harris’ Man in Black have left the biggest impression. From the beginning, they are both presented as different types of enigmas for viewers to watch very closely. On one end, Dolores is an interesting “host” that begins to exhibit odd behavior, instantly grabbing a lot of attention. On the other, the Man in Black is a ruthless villain (or is it investigator?) that wishes to probe into unknown territory.
We don’t know what might come of these stories yet, but it’ll be interesting to find out.
The rest of the cast does an admirable job, but we don’t really know enough about them just yet. For example, Thandie Newton plays a madam by the name of Maeve Millay. At this moment, she is only a background character that may or may not be dealing with what’s going on. I hope that the writers have the skill to give balanced time to everyone.
It’s Half Past The Future.
I am robot. She is robot. He is robot, too.
While Westworld may invite a lot of comparisons to Jurassic Park, the interesting thing about this story is how topical and terrifyingly plausible it is with today’s technologies in mind. It is for this reason that I find it hard to ding the series for being based off of a 1973 sci-fi film that Michael Crichton developed.
As I said above, it’s half past the future. Artificial intelligence and virtual reality have combined to create the titular vacation spot. Wealthy people go there to embrace an atmospheric story that reminds me of a mix of Red Dead Redemption and other MMORPGs. One can even see that when a new day begins on the train ride. Some talk about playing things out as a good or evil character, whereas others just marvel at the realism. The question is: Are the hosts getting sick of it?
There are many themes at play in Westworld. Most notably, the nature of consciousness, reality, and our darker impulses. For instance, the park can be a place of adult or family-friendly adventure, but it can take a turn towards dark fantasy. It really brings the dichotomy of human nature into focus, including our capacity for great good, great evil, or something in between.
The Criticisms Are Minor.
I wish we knew more about these two bots.
Apart from my previous critiques, there are only minor issues with this show. For example, some of the slower scenes go on a bit longer than they needed to be. While that is sometimes necessary to demonstrate what’s going on, there are some places where the dialogue could have been cut without sacrificing any of the weight or drama.
In addition, the repetitive nature of certain scenes could force some viewers to wonder when the show is going to get on with it. For instance, we know that Teddy Flood is programmed to come to Westworld on the train, visit the bar/brothel, and meet up with Dolores. That could have been a time to introduce Maeve and see what’s up with her. Since those two characters intersect, it would be easy to have Teddy do his thing in the background while we expand upon another character. That would give the world a bit more richness.
However, I believe that these issues will be corrected in the coming episodes. After all, the entire intent is to force the synthetic people in Westworld off their programmed script and make things go absolutely crazy.
Conclusion.
Is he a villain or something else entirely?
Westworld is a masterful take on hard science fiction, and I have to applaud HBO for having the courage and craftsmanship to make it happen. While it may fall into reboot/remake territory, I feel like it is more important to air a story like this one now as opposed to the early 1970s. It’s entertaining without being preachy. It makes you think and doesn’t spoon-feed its’ mysteries to you. In short, it is everything that a modern viewer could ask for.
Oh, and before I forget, be sure to keep an eye out for the modern anachronisms that the writers have snuck in there. It’s an added treat that made me think a little bit about Bioshock Infinite.
Don’t miss out!
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