The Daily Gamecock

'The Magnificent Seven' remake blends classic Wild West with modern film elements

(l to r) Byung-hun Lee, Ethan Hawke, Manuel Garcia-Rulfo, Denzel Washington, Chris Pratt, Vincent D'Onofrio and Martin Sensmeier in Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Pictures and Columbia Pictures' THE MAGNIFICENT SEVEN.
(l to r) Byung-hun Lee, Ethan Hawke, Manuel Garcia-Rulfo, Denzel Washington, Chris Pratt, Vincent D'Onofrio and Martin Sensmeier in Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Pictures and Columbia Pictures' THE MAGNIFICENT SEVEN.

Release Date: Sept. 23

Duration: 132 minutes

Director: Antoine Fuqua

Rating: B+

Cinema legend Denzel Washington and new superstar Chris Pratt joined forces in the remake of the 1960 Western movie “Magnificent Seven.” The remake blends the best factors of classic Western films with new elements that make it a fun and refreshing viewing.

The plot follows Washington’s character, Sam Chisolm, who is recruited by the people of Rose Creek to defend their small town from a ruthless business man. This business man, Bartholomew Bogue, is responsible for the murder of numerous innocent town folk and intends to take over the land to make room for his gold mine. 

Realizing he needs assistance to fight Bogue and his army of hired guns, Chisolm sets out to recruit men of his own, resulting in the formation of seven unique gunslingers that train the townspeople and fight alongside them.

The diversity of the cast, both in race and in character, was a strength. The presence of many different personalities and cultures not only provides several opportunities for comedic interactions but also made me care about each individual character due to their uniqueness. However, what I thought the movie lacked was the development of the bond the group suddenly had by the end of the movie.

During the formation of the seven outlaws, tensions were high as most did not know each other, causing confrontations. By the end of the film, they were great friends who cared deeply for each other, which is fine, except the film never shows how this came about. There are a few scenes of merry drinking but nothing really meaningful that brings the group together.

I also left the theater feeling a bit disappointed at the lack of interaction between Washington and Pratt’s characters. There was a golden opportunity here in introducing the respected veteran to the adored new star, but I felt this wasn’t taken advantage of. As with relationship development, they were also a case of magically caring for each other by the end of the film without sharing any developing moments.

Overall, this was an entertaining movie and definitely worth a watch. It presented a unique Wild West story with entertaining characters and a memorable climax. I gave this movie a B+ because each unique character brought comedy and emotion to the film, which made me care about the characters and enjoy the storyline.


Comments