DVD Review

Cast

Synopsis

Will Smith reunites with Men in Black director Barry Sonnenfield in an 1860's James bond style gadget and special effects bonanza to stop Dr. Arliss Loveless and his plot for a disunited states of America.

Film

After Men in Black, people were expecting a lot from Barry Sonnefield direction with this film. Sadly, they were disappointed. Although a relative flop in America (it ONLY took $100 million) this DVD had been made in to a shining example of what the medium can offer. Perhaps it has been done in an effort to appease Warner, who virtually gave a blank cheque for the film, to make the American public buy this disc by the truck load. They may have just succeeded.

Jim West is the western equivalent of James Bond. He is joined by an oddly cast Kevin Kline as Artemus Gordon who invents strange 'Q' like gadgets, and the love interest is provided by the lovely Salma Hayek. However, the show is stolen by the wonderfully evil Kenneth Branagh, who following a terrible injury during the war of independence, was left without the lower part of his body (and yes, he's missing THOSE bits as well)

Loveless is kidnapping all the great inventors of the world to create something, some weapon, to ensure victory and the disunion of America. Accompanied by various lovely ladies in various forms of dress, he is pursued, and pursues, Jim and Artemus, as he hatches his dastardly deed.

Cue wonderful special effects of various weapons, and one massive spider in the final fight, only built using the steam and steel technology of the age. We have huge steam driven machines which clank and bang around the soundstage and it is this, along with the superb picture clarity, that makes this disc stand-out as a demo disc to impress your friends.

If that is not enough to convert people to DVD then they should just look at the extras simply bursting from the disc. Not only do we get the usual "making of" and the music video, again worth the price of the disc, but it is the DVD-ROM content that even gives "the Matrix" a run for its money.

Extras

Reviewed by: Simon

DD	DD