I love movies of all kinds. I do not always love remakes, although in the last few years, there have been a few remakes that could at least hold their own against the originals. One of those movies is The Magnificent Seven.
I tend to watch movies differently than a lot of people. I find that I can almost always find something good to say about a film. Almost. But, with The Magnificent Seven, there was so much good. I loved the differences between this new 2016 version and the original 1960 film of the same name.
Overall, the general story is the same, a band of misfit outlaw-types comes together to save a small town at the behest of a young woman or something. There are some great revenge subplots in this latest version that make for some really grate scenes.
I believe that the characters are really what make this latest incarnation a success. Between the grit of Denzel Washington and the humor of Chris Praat, the rest of the cast fits each role nicely. Each addition to the group has just enough credence to be believable and enjoyable. I did not feel like there was ever a character just shoved in because they needed to match that magic number.
Denzel Washington was a good choice for the character of Chisolm, the gruff bounty hunter who is approached by a young widow, Haley Bennett (Hardcore Henry), to rid their town of an evil businessman who has a deathgrip over the mine and is out to steal everyone’s land. This leads Chisolm on a journey to collect his army, men strong enough, and maybe just crazy enough, to fight against hundreds of men for a good cause. The gunfights are amazing, the riding work and stunts are just awesome, and overall the look and feel of the film is very authentic.
So, while I am not usually a big fan of remakes, I was very impressed with The Magnificent Seven. If you are looking for a hard hitting Western with action, darkness, but just the right amount of humor, check this film out while it is still in theaters. After all, a $45 million opening week is nothing to laugh at during this time of the year.
