Plot: 1907. A professional gambler Max (Alexander Nevsky) aids the traveling Japanese sumo wrestlers (Hiroki Sumi, Ichi), the local Judge (Nick Baillie) and beautiful store owner Sybil (Tatiana Neva) against ruthless outlaw (Joe Cornet) and his gang who have attacked a small Californian town. The film is inspired by true events: in the beginning of 20th century, the first-ever sumo delegation from Japan, led by the great Sumo wrestler Hitachiyama, traveled through the United States to Washington D.C., where they met with President Theodore Roosevelt.
Alexander Nevsky and Joe Cornet reunite for this Western that has such a crazy plot it could only be based on a true story. If you think Sumo wrestlers travelling the old West because they are due to meet President Roosevelt seems outlandish, I’ve got news for you – it actually happened!
Inspired by the life of Tani Ichige (with the Sumo name of Hitachiyama Taniemon), The Wide West stars Alexander Nevsky who plays Max, a man looking to make some money in a small desert town. Things do not quite go as planned Max meets two Sumo wrestlers (Ichi & Hiroki Sumi) travelling with a comrade on their way to meet the President; however, their train breaks down, so they end up staying in the town too.
While in a bar things get out of hand and a fight breaks out with someone getting killed. This someone just so happens to be the brother of outlaw Jarrett Kingrey (Joe Cornet) who vows revenge on the entire town.
The Wide West is around an hour and 15 minutes long and if you’ve seen Joe and Alexander’s other pictures you have an idea what to expect – a lighthearted tone and an infectious love for the Western genre. Cornet and Nevsky always comes up with interesting stories usually based on some historical fact that hasn’t been told before.
The Wide West doesn’t have a large budget and there aren’t any massive set-pieces, but the final 20 minutes is essentially one big shoot-out. It’s cool to see Joe Cornet on villain duties which we rarely see; he’s effectively mean yet somewhat sympathetic as you understand his motivations. By the end, his story isn’t finished and I sense a sequel on the horizon.
Sean Murray’s score is one of the highlights and I particularly loved his music over the opening credits.
Overall, The Wide West does that rare thing of telling an original story that is too bonkers to be made up and the final 20 minutes is one big shoot-out; it may not have a large budget but the ambition is there and it’s an easy watch.