Not that magnificent
MAGNIFICENT SEVEN Running time: 2h 12min Starring: Denzel Washington, Ethan Hawke, Chris Pratt Director: Antoine Fuqua Producer: Roger Birnbaum
THE BIG difference between the new version of The Magnificent Seven and the revered 1960 feature is the ethnic background of the main characters.
This efficient but uninspired third teaming of Denzel Washington and Antoine Fuqua looks to be a solid boxoffice performer.
The premise is as sturdy as they come, one that, no matter what the specific cultural context, is universally appealing: A defenceless village comes under repeated attack by an outlaw gang until a small band of mercenary loners pulls together to fight the bad guys off. Significantly adding to the pleasure of seeing the marauders get their just deserts are the tough, nothing-to-lose personalities of the band of wellarmed guardians.
This time out, it would seem that ethnic variety was the guiding principle more than anything else, the obvious irony being that it’s now a rainbow coalition of misfits defending an all-white town against all-white villains way out west in 1879.
Theoretically, recasting the makeup of the gang created a real opportunity to provide a small taste of the past experiences of such diverse men on the frontier – a chance, via a few short monologues or running commentaries, to hear some tales, tall or otherwise, of the Old West’s renegades and outcasts.
But the film’s worst blunder lies in making the villain so onedimensionally sick. Peter Sarsgaard plays mining baron Bartholomew Bogue, who, with his well-armed goons, kills whomever he wants while demanding that the citizens of little Rose Creek sell their gold-laden property to him at a fraction of its worth. Just for kicks, he burns down the church as a parting gesture while promising to return soon.
When bright-toothed, black-clad Sam Chisolm (Washington) turns up in town, he gets the not-unexpected “What the hell is he doing here?” remarks from the local good ol’ boys at the saloon. He soon turns that attitude around, but even while insisting, “I’m not for sale,” Sam begins gathering societal misfits around him who might, for fun and possible profit, be willing to take on the bad boys on behalf of the helpless, most prominently represented by recently widowed Emma (Haley Bennett).
In short order, Sam has filled out his line-up card of talented players. They number Josh Faraday (Chris Pratt), a professional gambler savvy with explosives; Goodnight Robicheaux (Ethan Hawke), a Southern marksman; Jack Horne (Vincent D’Onofrio), an old mountain man; Billy Rocks (Byung-hun Lee), a Korean who can fling those blades; Vasquez (Manuel Garcia-Rulfo), an outlaw by trade; and Red Harvest (Martin Sensmeier), a native warrior so painted, coiffed and adorned he looks ready to join Village People.
The cast is okay and does its job, but no more. There’s too strong a whiff of modern guys grooving on getting in the saddle and whipping out their weapons. – Hollywood Reporter