What The Reviews Have To Say About 'The Magnificent Seven'
"The Magnificent Seven," a remake of the 1960 classic (itself an adaptation of Kurosawa's "Seven Samurai") starring Denzel Washington and Chris Pratt as Western gunslingers, arrives in theaters today. Does it stack up to its forebears? Here's what the reviews have to say:
It Doesn't Match The Original, But That's Okay
No, there was no need for this remake of a remake, a new version of the 1960 Western that was itself a spin on the 1954 Akira Kurosawa classic Seven Samurai. And perhaps the talents of all involved with Antoine Fuqua's 2016 update of The Magnificent Seven would've been better put to use in a wholly original idea that didn't conjure up nostalgia-tinged memories of superior movies…[But] The Magnificent Seven, as derivative as it may be, makes for a decent couple of hours wasted.
[Slate]
Now, The Magnificent Seven never reaches the heights of John Sturges' original, let alone Kurosawa's classic, but it doesn't necessarily need to. Instead it arrives with some style and matinee theatrics straight out of the Wild West. Its sepia-tinted bones are weathered, but spit-shined real nice, sporting an all-star cast and a gold mine of studio production value.
Luckily, It Feels Like A Real Western — Not A Blockbuster Reboot Of One
Given Fuqua's action-heavy filmography, it would be easy to assume this would be a souped-up, modern take on the genre, but it's clear early on that the filmmaker is interested in making a proper Western, with all of the stylistic and genre flourishes that entails… Fuqua favors bold, widescreen compositions that recall cinema's past rather than its hyperkinetic present… They may be callbacks, sure, but they're so refreshing — and executed with such flair — that Fuqua's film is ultimately a reminder of why the genre was once so wildly popular in the first place.
The Magnificent Seven" is a story of simple pleasures, and it gets the little things right.
But The Group Dynamic Is A Letdown
[W]e scarcely get to know these guys at all. We're stuck with the filmmakers trying to come up with one way or another to inject some violence into the proceedings every 10 minutes or so while waiting for Bogue and his goons to show up to take possession of the town.
The performances are dedicated, but the camaraderie feels perfunctory.
[The Wrap]
And It Severely Lacks In Narrative Tension
As there's not much to the narrative of a film like this one, its success or failure comes down to execution. And this one is too often flat. I kept waiting for it to click into gear, to use the joyful personalities of actors like Washington and Pratt to an end that felt like it was doing more than servicing the incredibly straightforward plot. Way too much of "The Magnificent Seven" plods from point A to point B to point C.
[T]here's no moral weight: Chisholm is gunning for Bogue for reasons that have nothing to do with Rose Creek, while his compatriots are lucky if they're provided an ounce of motivation.
[AV Club]
At Any Rate, Denzel Washington Looks Really Good On A Horse
On the positive side, there's Denzel Washington looking, to put it in today's terms, cool AF riding a horse.
Let's get this out of the way first: Denzel Washington makes riding a horse look mighty fine.
[Slate]
[T]here's no denying the appeal of the image of Mr. Washington riding a horse, shooting a Colt and leading a posse of vigilantes to save a mostly white Western town.
TL;DR
When all is said and done, the film is mindless entertainment by way of scoundrels, dynamite and honor – not quite magnificent, but "The Watchable Seven" just doesn't have the same ring to it.
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