Review // The Magnificent Seven

[projekktor id=’25480′]

Antoine Fuqua updates John Sturges’ classic western, The Magnificent Seven (1960) into a slick action adventure. The most noticeable updates in Fuqua’s version are the ethnically diverse cast, a strong female character and slick action sequences that mark a modern touch. With a script from Richard Wenk (The Equalizer) and Nic Pizzolatto (True Detective) the classic western about a band of rag tag anti-heroes who unite to protect a small town from a ruthless gangster touches on contemporary issues like bullying, capitalism and racism. The ethnically diverse cast isn’t comprised of characters unable to see their differences but characters that work together despite them.

The script is perfect. Instead of lengthy exposition, it actually relies on the actors to convey the history of their characters through their actions and reactions. Paired with a story that is furthered by the immediacy of the conflict – a small town under siege by the industrialist Bartholomew Bogue (Peter Sarsgaard) – it moves at a decent pace and mixes action and comedy with plot progression. The cast is expertly led by Denzel Washington, who commands so much respect as Sam Chisholm there’s no need to question how an African American was able to get a government commission so quickly following the civil war. When he hears the plight of Emma Cullen (Haley Bennett) he’s quick to come to her aide. Mostly to settle an old score, but also as a testament to her courage and righteousness. They quickly assemble a group of skilled warriors: a sniper (Ethan Hawke), a knife thrower (Byung-hun Lee), a tracker (Vincent D’Onofrio), a gunslinger (Manuel Garcia-Rulfo), an exiled warrior (Martin Sensmeier) and some comic relief (Chris Pratt). Regardless of why they are there, the seven heroes take up arms against the bully and aide the townspeople in their quest for freedom.

While I remain of the opinion that Hollywood remakes are for the most part unnecessary, the remake element didn’t detract from my overall enjoyment of this film. Was it a film that needed to be modernized? Will this remake go down in history as another classic piece of cinema? No probably not. But the comedy is funny, the gunslingers are righteous, and the action is slick. The Magnificent Seven is an entertaining film.

Reviewed by Vithiya Murugadas.