The Magnificent Seven (2016)
/"I seek righteousness. But I'll take revenge."
Filmology Rating: 2.62 out of 4
Greedy, ruthless, slimy, industrialist Bartholomew Bogue and his hired guns take control of small town called Rose Creek looking to mine their gold. Desperate for help, the town seeks out some men who have the skill to drive out these men once and for all. They find a man named Sam Chisolm (Denzel Washington) who agrees to take on this impossible mission. His first recruit is a gunfighter named Josh Farraday (Chris Pratt). Together they round up 5 more talented fighters who form the “Magnificent Seven.”
This Magnificent Seven has been on my radar for quite some time now. I was excited when they heard they were making a remake of the classic western 1960’s Magnificent Seven (which is essentially a remake of the 1954 Japanese movie called Seven Samurai) and became even more excited when I heard who they were casting. They gave us an all-star cast that includes Denzel Washington, Chris Pratt, Ethan Hawke, Vincent D'Onofrio, and more. Along with a talented cast, we have a director, Antoine Fuqua, who is a great talent and also has prior experience working with Denzel (Training Day and Equalizer, both excellent films).
Alright alright, enough introductions to the movie, you guys want to know if it was any good or not right? The answer is a definite yes! Now this was one magnificent movie! I had an absolute blast with Magnificent Seven! The 2 hrs. blew right by because I was having so much fun with this movie. As I mentioned before with the talented cast, they all gave some terrific performances. Each character I felt had some depth to them or at least something really likeable about them that made you feel interested and root for them. The director Antoine Fuqua then used each one of their talents to make the movie fun, funny, and have some more serious tones to it from time to time. He also delivered some great action as well. Smaller actions scenes thrown in here and also two big shootouts, all of which were really something fun to watch.
As I stated earlier, I thought this movie was “magnificent”. I said that for a number of different reasons; it was punny and fit the title, I really did have a great time with this film, and lastly aspects of the movie were done really well. However some people I have talked to have had some issues with Magnificent Seven. Their reasons being that it doesn’t really bring anything new to the western genre, that it was only really a cash grab opportunity by Hollywood, and that it lacked depth to it. While I can see their points and even agree with some of them to a point, for me those aspects didn’t matter. I went into this movie wanting to be entertained for 2 hrs. and have a good time while doing so and that’s exactly what I got! The Magnificent Seven doesn’t try and reimagine the Western genre, it doesn’t try and overcomplicate itself, and it doesn’t try and do too much different than what the originals gave us. This movie does exactly what it was supposed to do and that was to entertain you and give you a good action movie with some laughs and drama here and there. Yes this movie has some flaws here and there but none of which that ruin or bring down the film.
If you go into this movie wanting to have a good time, I almost guarantee that you will.
Rating: See It
-Nick
Rarely has a genre of film fell so hard and so fast as the Western genre. What was once the dominant genre of film and television has now been fading more with each passing year. This year, we are given a remake of “Magnificent Seven” which was originally released in 1960. “Magnificent Seven” itself is an adaptation of Akira Kurosawa’s masterpiece “Seven Samurai”. What might have been an ode to “Seven Samurai”, or a stylish remake of the 1960 original has arrived in all its’ unimpressive glory.
“The Magnificent Seven” is directed by Antoine Fuqua and stars the likes of Denzel Washington, Chris Pratt, and Ethan Hawke among others. A film such as this is centered on its plot, but it’s success revolves entirely around its characters. In the film, a small town is terrorized by a mining company and the villainous capitalist Bartholomew Bogue. A violent episode in the films opening scenes forces the residents hire outlaws to protect their town. Leading the pack is Denzel Washington as bounty hunter Sam Chisolm. Slowly, Sam Chisolm enlists the aid of several outlaws, eccentrics, and friends to help save the town.
Successfully remaking an older film is no easy task. Cashing in on the originals appeal is critical, but bringing something new is necessary to give the film staying power. “The Magnificent Seven” handles its’ story in a very predictable fashion. Helpless townspeople find an idealistic outlaw who uses his wit and charm to gathers a group of men to protect a town from an overwhelming force. The stakes are high and many people will surely die. Playing the story safe can be a positive, but only if the film innovates in other ways. Two easy ways to make the film more unique would be inject a heavy dose of filmmaking style, or to create a strong chemistry between the many lead characters. “The Magnificent Seven” chooses to do neither.
To be clear, the acting throughout is not to be faulted. Denzel Washington handles the lead role well, although he could use a little more charisma in a role like this. Chris Pratt plays the role he’s crafted for himself over the last several years, while Ethan Hawke handles his role without ever elevating it over the material he’s given. Vincent D’Onofrio and Korean actor Byung-hun Lee are the only other characters of the seven given enough personality to really establish a screen presence besides the villain played by Peter Sarsgaard. Creating compelling characters and effectively building their relationships and camaraderie can save an otherwise average film, but “The Magnificent Seven” fails on these grounds.
Antoine Fuqua’s “The Magnificent Seven” draws in the hopes of revitalizing the western genre, but misses its mark due to predictable parts and lackluster characters.
Rating: Rent It
-Tyler