The Magnificent Seven

WARNING: This review is hidden because it reveals the content of the film.
Click here to show this review. This remake of “Magnificent Seven” is a good western action picture on its own merit. Compare it to the film it draws inspiration from, 1954’s “Seven Samurai” and 1960’s “The Magnificent Seven” and it's clear this one’s not destined to be a classic. Still, the picture is entertaining thanks to a tried-and-true story, a solid cast, and thrilling action.

Set in 1879, the small mining town or Rose Creek is given an ultimatum by ruthless industrialist Bartholomew Bogue (Peter Sarsgaard) Either they sell him their land for next to nothing or die defending it. While most of the simple farmers and laborers are ready to give up, Emma Cullen (Haley Bennett) and her friend Teddy Q (Luke Grimes) decide to stand up to the man. They employ warrant officer Sam Chisolm (Denzel Washington) to raise them a small army and defend their way of life.

There’s a lot to like in this remake of a remake. First of all, the titular magnificent seven are made up of a stellar cast. Chris Pratt as a card shark/gunslinger, Ethan Hawke as a sharpshooter, Byung-hun Lee as a knife thrower, Vincent D’Onofrio as a tracker more bear than man, Martin Sensmeier as a Comanche warrior and Manuel Garcia-Rulfo as a Mexican outlaw with nothing to lose. The casting is excellent not only because these are great actors that exude charisma; they are also nicely visually distinct from one another. This film has a large cast: 7 cowboys plus 3 principal residents of Rose Creek and 2 villains. You will never mistake any one character for another or have trouble keeping track of who, at the end of the day, is still alive and who is dead. Many of the characters only get limited time to be fleshed out, but the actors make the most of their lines, guaranteeing your investment in the story.

When it comes to the action, this film delivers. The climax in particular, where our heroes and the emboldened townspeople face off against Bogue’s army is full of great moments. They’re using different strategies and weapons to even the odds and people are dying left and right. Thanks to the varied tactics and characters, the action never feels repetitive or dull and when people start dying, you’re kept in suspense. I’m familiar with the material this film is based on and I was still nervous to see the endlessly charismatic heroes in one of the biggest and badest showdowns I’ve seen in a long time.

Despite these qualities, the film’s only got limited appeal. If you’ve seen either “Seven Samurai” or the original “Magnificent Seven”, this is a watered down version. There are a few elements that it handles in a very standard Hollywood manner. The head villain, Bogue, is particularly weak. There is no line or action this man takes to establish him as anything but a near cousin to the dark brown slime that develops at the bottom of your vegetable crisper when it hasn’t been cleaned for 3 months. He’s carrying around props to deliver ominous speeches and kills his own men willy-nilly. He’s not even competently evil, or a badass in any form. It makes the ending of the film easy to predict. The film is well made but the story, it’s just a little bit too artificial. I like the idea of the first mercenary being brought in for reasons other than simple payment, but even this new “twist” on the story… it felt too convenient for my taste. The body count in this picture is so high that the action, while spectacular also loses some of its impacts. I also think that some small changes to the story do a big disservice to the film. Bandits robbing a small Mexican village; that makes sense. Industrialists blatantly murdering people to get papers signed, all so they can fill their pockets? It doesn’t sit right with me. Overall, the whole thing doesn’t feel like there’s a real story being told. When I think of both “Seven Samurai” and the original “Magnificent Seven”, I think of redemption, of regaining your honor, of the difference between warriors and peasants, a clash of classes. This movie, not so much.

I don’t think I’ll be re-watching 2016’s “The Magnificent Seven” again, not anytime soon anyway. It wants to be in the same category as two classics and it’s not. I think director Antoine Fuqua was too concerned with making a spectacular fireworks display when he should’ve focussed on making a hard-hitting, emotionally investing story. However, it does excel at being cool due to the charismatic characters and the action so if you’re interested, check it out… then see the originals. (Theatrical version on the big screen, October 8, 2016)