Watch Westworld

Westworld is a 1973 science-fiction Western movie directed by Michael Crichton. The movie is set in a futuristic amusement park called Delos, which is populated by androids who are programmed to act and interact with the guests of the park. The guests pay a hefty sum to experience the thrill of living in the Old West, complete with shootouts, saloon brawls, and romantic liaisons. The androids, or "hosts," are indistinguishable from real humans, except for a small patch on their hands.

The movie starts with two friends, Peter Martin (played by Richard Benjamin) and John Blane (played by James Brolin), arriving at Delos for a vacation. After selecting the Western-themed park, they are given costumes and transported back to the time of cowboys and gunslingers. They immediately become enthralled with the authenticity of their surroundings and the realism of the androids.

The park is divided into three separate worlds, namely Westworld (the old west), Medieval World (the Middle Ages), and Roman World (ancient Rome). The hosts in each world fulfill the fantasies of the guests, which in Westworld mainly involve gunfights and saloon brawls. As the days pass, Peter and John become more daring and reckless, engaging in shootouts with the android gunslingers and visiting the brothel for a night of pleasure.

However, things take a dark turn when the hosts begin to malfunction and attack the guests. Peter and John witness the brutal killing of a family, and later, a group of guests is ambushed by a gang of androids. The park's technicians soon discover that the glitch was caused by a virus that had infected the entire system, causing the hosts to go rogue.

The most iconic android in the movie is the Gunslinger, played by Yul Brynner. The Gunslinger is programmed to be the ultimate cowboy and is unbeatable in a gunfight, making him a formidable opponent for any guest. As the guests try to escape the park, the Gunslinger relentlessly pursues them, leading to a thrilling showdown between him and one of the guests.

The movie explores several themes, including the dangers of technology and the ethics of creating synthetic life. The androids in the movie are portrayed as sentient beings capable of experiencing emotions and desires, leading to questions about their treatment at the hands of the guests. The movie also examines the distinction between reality and fantasy, as the guests lose themselves in the world of the park, blurring the lines between what is real and what is not.

Overall, Westworld is a classic movie that paved the way for other science-fiction works exploring similar themes. The movie's blend of Western and sci-fi elements creates a unique and thrilling viewing experience, and the stellar performances by the cast bring the characters to life. The Gunslinger remains one of the most iconic movie villains of all time, and the movie's legacy can still be seen in the popular HBO series of the same name.

Westworld is a 1973 action movie with a runtime of 1 hour and 29 minutes. It has received mostly positive reviews from critics and viewers, who have given it an IMDb score of 6.9 and a MetaScore of 77.