So Far So Good

The Magnificent Seven (2016)

It is well documented on this blog that I have a soft spot for Westerns, a dying genre in my opinion. However, in recent years there has been a positive spark in the genre with such films as the remake of True Grit and Tarantino’s last two entries Django Unchained and The Hateful Eight, After these couple of films the Western genre is taking a positive turn to becoming a popular genre again, which I’m sure will please my Eastwood/Wayne loving parents. There is one question I keep asking myself though, is it better to try and revive this genre with original stories Tarantino style or go way of the Coen Brothers and make a grittier remake of classic westerns to bring a newer audience on board? Well this year Sony Pictures is tempting the latter with a remake of the 1960 classic Western (which incidentally is a remake of its own) The Magnificent Seven.

The Story: After her husband is brutally murdered by tyrannical mining baron Bartholomew Bogue (Peter Sarsgaard Black Mass), Emma Cullen (Haley Bennett The Girl on the Train) goes on the search of some good men to help protect her town and rid them of Bogue. Emma doesn’t have to look very long when she comes across a warrant officer named Sam Chisolm (Denzel Washington The Equalizer), who agrees to help her with a hint of personal reasons. Realizing that they need more men, Chisolm recruits six more gunmen in hopes that they and the rest of the townsfolk will be enough to eliminate the threat that is Bartholomew Bogue.

The Good: There is one other thing that is well documented on this blog and that is my distaste for remakes. Though I will admit there are some that slip through my stubborn wall. The Magnificent Seven is one of those films. This film is not better than the original, but director Antoine Fuqua does an impressive job of creating an entertaining and almost nostalgic film. Fuqua brings energy to the film that is reminiscent of classic Spaghetti Westerns but also relatable to a modern audience. The music of the film is also a great aspect of that same nostalgia with grand pieces while riding through the plains and some tense music during the gunfights. The cast was notable as well with Chris Pratt (Jurassic World) and Vincent D'Onofrio (Marvel’s Daredevil) being my standouts. Washington wasn’t bad, he just felt like every hero he has played in the last couple of years. Pratt, Joshua Faraday, is his usual charming self but with a tinge of cynicism and edge that Peter Quill will never have. I would love to see Pratt play a few more characters like this to broaden his skills. Then of course there is the highly underrated D’Onofrio who plays Jack Horne, a tracker and mountain man. Just D’Onofrio’s ability to mold himself into every role he plays is astonishing. Here he is a God-fearing tracker that feels he needs to help these people to absolve himself.

The Bad: My only real gripe with this film is the Ethan Hawke subplot that goes absolutely nowhere. Hawke plays Goodnight Robicheaux, a Confederate veteran sniper that appears to be suffering from a bit of PTSD. The audience doesn’t learn this until late in the film and the subplot lasts maybe 10 minutes out of the film. The subplot has no real bearing on the film whatsoever and is just a useless distraction to the plot.

The Verdict: For those of you that enjoy Fuqua’s films or want to see the resurgence of the Western genre, then The Magnificent Seven is an entertaining film that is a rare exception to the remake hatred. I hate saying this but Seven really does have something for everyone; star power, little bit of humor, and intense action pieces. The film just takes a very slight detour that no word can describe how useless it is.

Wait for Blu-Ray