The Magnificent Seven (October 2016)

Official Australian release date: 29/9/16. Viewed: 1/10/16.

Director: Antoine Fuqua

Actors: Denzel Washington, Chris Pratt, Ethan Hawke, Peter Sarsgaard

Genre: Action / Western

Rating: M

‘The Magnificent Seven’ is perhaps an unnecessary remake – almost 56 years, to the day – but it’s just as good as the original. Still the same simple premise – a Western, where a small town is being overthrown by a villain, so they hire a bunch (well, seven, to be precise!) of drifters to help them fight to save the town. It’s still set in the 19^th century, but the main differences are that the town’s not in Mexico this time, and there’s much more focus on the church (not necessarily religion).

The leader this time is Chisolm (Washington), a bounty hunter (Yul Brenner’s character), with Faraday (Pratt) a wise-cracking gunslinger (Steve McQueen’s character), Goodnight (Hawke) a former sharpshooter, Billy (Lee) a knife-master, Vasquez (Garcia-Rulfo) the Mexican, Red Harvest (Sensmeier) the Comanche and Horne (D’Onofrio) – the best character – as the mountain man. Still no real motivation for them to help the town is given, but let’s go with it anyway. Sarsgaard is good as Bogue, infusing him with plenty of contempt and no empathy. Bennett is OK, but mostly a token female character.

Does what a good Western should – plenty of shoot-outs, sweeping vistas, explosions, horses riding and jumping, staring from under hat brims, and a healthy death toll! Has a few slow points in the first half, but the battle for the final 30min or so is done very well. Doesn’t necessarily add to the original, but nor does it do it a disservice. A straight-down-the-line 3.5.

Overall: Good cast deliver a solid Western.

Gav's Rating: 3.5 stars.