The Magnificent Seven [Review]

timthumbA new western action film is in town and it brings quite some names! Every now and then, when I mention I like sci-fi, I get those type of looks that in a silent way simply say “but you are a girl”. Yes, I know, and that is probably why I was not attracted to cowboy and western movies when I was little. I grew up with some of the classics just because my dad loves them, but that would be the extent of it. With age, you learn to let stuff in, so that was the case of this genre for me.

The reason for mentioning this is the fact that The Magnificent Seven is a remake. And not the first, but the second one. The original film came out in 1960 and, from what I have heard, it was really well done. No, I haven’t seen it, which is why I don’t have anything to compare the 2016 one with.

The Magnificent Seven tells the story of a few very different individuals who, against all normal odds, come together to the rescue of a grieving and full of revenge desire widow. Sweet looking but tenacious Emma Cullen (Haley Bennett), supported by slightly shy Teddy Q (Luke Grimes), is the one that incites the idea of the group. After her husband is shot by Bartholomew Bogue (Peter Sarsgaard) when trying to stand up for what they believe in, she decides to look for someone who will revenge Matt’s death and might also help them take back their city.

Enter always driven Chisolm who is portrayed in a very serious way by Denzel Washington. He knows what and who he wants and he seems to find his motivation in something else, not in the offered money. The second to join is the wiz of cards, Josh Faraday. The joker of the group is played by non-other than Chris Pratt, who seems to bring his own specific type of humor to every role he is cast in. The legend that is Goodnight Robicheaux, played by Ethan Hawke, whom I’ve missed from the big screen recently, comes with extra baggage – Billy Rocks, the forth companion who knows how to handle a knife, and some psychological problems which put his greatness to doubt. And because it is The Magnificent Seven, slowly we get three other additions to the team: Jack Horne (Vincent D’Onofrio) is the religious one who seems to have nothing else to lose, Vasquez (Manuel Garcia-Rulfo) the convict who ends up trying to save a city rather than being thrown into jail, and Red Harvest (Martin Sensmeier) who brings the art of archery tothe-magnificent-seven-ride the table. There you have it, the most unlikely to get along individuals, come together to save a city.

The buildup for the final battle takes quite a while, but that doesn’t mean that they only leave the final five minutes for the actual fight. No, sir. The final fight is prolonged to what, at one point, seems to be never ending. However, by bringing a good tempo and a perfect dose of humor, The Magnificent Seven will keep you present without a shade of a doubt.

Brilliantly choreographed when it comes to its characters, The Magnificent Seven serves us with all a team needs to feel complete: the legend, the leader, the comic and even a unique companion with completely different habits, especially when it comes to food. All in all, The Magnificent Seven is an entertaining film, a film which surprised me a bit with its ending as I was expecting it, but not in such big numbers. I can’t compare it to the original one, however visually speaking it’s skillfully done and slowly, story and action, add up.

The Magnificent Seven is out now!

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