Ah reboots, the plague of modern cinema. Don't get me wrong there are occasions when they work (Nolan's Dark Knight trilogy being a notable example) but for the most part they are nothing more than soulless and artless cash-grabs that have no reason to exist. In saying this, such is the world we live in that reboots will not be going away anytime soon, so I've made it my mission to judge each film on an individual basis and not to let my judgement be affected by my thoughts on the practise overall.
When taken as a stand-alone product, the latest incarnation of The Magnificent Seven is rather good.
Directed by Antione Fuqua, this reimagining of the 1960 original (itself an adaption of 1954's The Seven Samurai) stars Denzel Washington, Chris Pratt, Ethan Hawke, Vincent D'Onofrio, Byung-Hun Lee, Manuel Garcia-Rulfo and Martin Sensmeier as the titular heroes who are hired to protect a small town from the wrath of an evil capitalist (gotta love left-wing Hollywood). The story is more or less the same as its predecessor, so a sense of predictability is imminent, but fortunately there is more than enough here to sink your teeth into.
For one, the cast is impeccable. Every single member of this gang shines in one way or another, but to keep this review from becoming a script in itself I'll single out three worthy of extra praise. Denzel Washington (or as he'll henceforth be known "The Ageless Wonder") plays Sam Chisolm, a warrant officer and leader of The Seven. Washington's powerful screen-presence is what makes this character work; you believe that men would follow him into a battle he cannot win, which in itself is a crucial point to convey if the plot is to make any sense whatsoever. Denzel plays Chisolm with an awesome composure and light charm that when we see him divert from this near the movie's conclusion it is all the more emphatic. Chris Pratt is great again, mostly sticking to the same type of performance which has granted him immense success since Guardians of the Galaxy was released in 2014. What he does impressively in this outing however is add a layer of darkness and ambiguity to his performance which, when combined with his usual lovable rogue stique, helps to create an intriguing and complex character who commands your attention any time he is on screen. Arguably the hottest name in Hollywood today, Pratt proves why he is at the top of the proverbial mountain with another stand-out role. Finally, I wanted to give special mention to Byung-Hun Lee, who plays the assassin Billy Rocks. Rocks is by far my favourite character in this film for several reasons: his skill, his likability, his sexuality, his loyalty, his chilled-out nature, as well as the air of mystery that surrounds him. Lee forms what I consider to be the most fully-rounded character of the main cast, and he does so with relatively little screen-time. Anytime a supporting player like this can steal scenes out from underneath the feet of his more famous contemporaries it is something to be admired, and I hope that we get to see this talent again sooner rather than later.
Another element I wanted to mention was the score, which was utterly beautiful. Sadly, this will be the final film ever to feature the music of the talented James Horner, who died half way through the making of this product. The mind behind the soundtracks to films such as Titanic, Avatar and Braveheart, Horner will leave behind an almost unparalleled legacy, being regarded as one of the finest Hollywood composers of the modern era. His score in this film is exquisite, perfectly capturing the gritty yet playful tone of the product as well as layering in some nice throwbacks to Elmer Bernstein's original. A talent of the highest calibre, this score should forever be remembered as a testament to Horner's artistic ability. The cinematography is also stunning, particularly in an IMAX theatre. The wide-screen layout is perfectly capitalised on with absolutely stunning shots of our heroes silhouetted in front of the green American countryside, and the action (edited furiously to give everything a really authentic chaotic feel) is shot with precision. Right from the off, as we are shown our main antagonist burning down a white wooden church, we know this isn't a sloppily shot effort, and it's this type of care in production which helps to put The Magnificent Seven above most blockbusters you will see this year.
Overall, I think the mixed critical reception The Magnificent Seven has received is a bit unfair. In her review of the film, MTV's Amy Nicholson criticised the film's generic themes and accused it of being just another super-hero movie. I have to disagree with this assessment. Yes, it is a fun popcorn romp, but after sitting through a summer of mind-numbingly average big-screen bombs this summer, I welcomed the swagger and excitement that The Magnificent Seven brought to the screen. It isn't innovative (very few films are now days) but it reminds us of why the majority of people go to the cinema: for a good, fun time. The Magnificent Seven is a retread of the original, but it is also extremely well-acted, beautifully made and good fun, therefore putting it among the best big-budget films I have seen this year.
Score: 8.6/10
