| The Magnificent Seven (2016) | |
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Rating: 6.9/10 (227,431 votes) Director: Antoine Fuqua Writer: Akira Kurosawa, Shinobu Hashimoto, Hideo Oguni Stars: Denzel Washington, Chris Pratt, Ethan Hawke Runtime: 132 min Rated: PG-13 Genre: Action, Adventure, Drama Released: 23 Sep 2016 |
| Plot: Seven gunmen from a variety of backgrounds are brought together by a vengeful young widow to protect her town from the private army of a destructive industrialist. | |
In this day and age when it seems that there are nothing but remakes and sequels, when in fact it is far from the case (they account for only a small percent of new releases each year – it’s just that nobody actually bothers to watch other films before moaning), it is refreshing when a film comes along that gives opportunity for the moaners to be shown up for the ignoramuses that they actually are. Yes, as with the recent remake of Ben Hur, which saw many people foolishly moan about how they remade a Charlton Heston classic, here we have a film which allows them to moan about somebody daring to remake the classic Yul Brynner and Steve McQueen film. If you are not sure about why that is so amusing, then please feel free to go and google.
Anyway, the important thing when it comes to any remake is whether it works. Many don’t, just as many non-remake films fail to deliver. However, once in a while a remake comes along that does deliver. With its simply, generic western approach, The Magnificent Seven delivers in the eyes of this fan of the genre.
“Get to the review already!”
The plot is simple, and is the staple of pretty much every film in the western genre – a small community (Rose Creek) is besieged by a corrupt industrialist (Bart Bogue played by Peter Sarsgard) and his gang of rogues. The townsfolk seek aid from Sam Chisolm (Denzel Washington), a warrant officer who has a past with Bogue. He swiftly starts recruiting the most unlikely bnand of gunslingers to assist him – gambler Josh Faraday (Chris Pratt), sharpshooter Goodnight Robicheaux (Ethan Hawke), knife throwing Billy Rocks (Byung-hun Lee), tracker Jack Horne (Vincent D’Onofrio), Comanche warrior Red Harvest (Martin Sensmeier) and Mexican outlaw Vasquez (Manuel Garcia-Rulfo). Making their appearance in town known, the band of seven prepare the townsfolk for Bogue’s attack…
The Magnificent Seven, as many witty reviewers (and I mean that with the most sarcastic of tones) have extolled in their click-bait headlines, is not Magnificent (hohoho! My sides just split!). However, what it is is rollocking good fun (is rollocking a word? My spellchecker says it isn’t, but I’m going with it!). In a day and age where it seems the western genre is determined to be dark, gritty, and brutally realistic, it’s good to have one which just wants to deliver on the fun and excitement that the genre used to be famous for. Having a good, and varied, cast certainly helps. The first half of the film pretty much serves as an introduction to all the players, beginning with Sarsgard’s evil industrialist, with so much subdued threat, then Washington’s Chisholm who recruits the rest of the players one by one. These introductory moments work well to tell us what we need to know about each of the characters, meaning that the back end of the film can simply be a packed action spectacle.
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The whole look of the film just works, right down to costume details.
Fuqua’s direction is strong, and the film manages to update the western for a modern audience, draw on the charismatic personalities of the cast, and showcase some great action set pieces. Combined with Mauro Fiore’s cinematography, which captures the beauty in every frame, the result is a film that paces well and always ensures there is something to see on screen. The extended gunfights on display are majestic to watch.
In a summer of mainly disappointments, heck a year of disappointments, Magnificent Seven serves as a nice reminder that sometimes you can just play for entertainment, and not try to be dark and gritty, and deliver something ideal for the popcorn audience.
