In recent years, Western style films have been making a comeback in a big way. That said, on September 23, 2016, Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer and Columbia Pictures released one of the most iconic, action-packed Western/Action films of the year, The Magnificent Seven. Directed by Antoine Fuqua (Shooter 2007, Olympus has Fallen 2013), the highly anticipated release is a remake of the 1960 The Magnificent Seven, of yet another remake of 1954’s Seven Samurai. Two-thousand and sixteen’s The Magnificent Seven sets out to encompassed every little detail that makes a great film. Initially debuting on September 8th, at the 2016 Toronto International Film Festival, with an estimated budget of $95 million, it is predicted that The Magnificent Seven will greatly increase its earnings tenfold in the weeks to come.
- Still from The Magnificent Seven
The seven magnificent, courageous characters were played by Denzel Washington (Man on Fire 2004, Inside Man 2006) as the bounty hunter and leader of the squad; aka Sam Chisolm, Chris Pratt (Guardians of the Galaxy 2014, Jurassic World 2015) as the gambler Joshua Faraday, Manuel Garcia-Rulfo (Bless me, Ultima 2013, Cake 2014) as the Mexican outlaw Vasquez, Martin Sensmeier (Salem 2014, Lilin’s Brood 2016) as Red Harvest; who happens to be a Comanche Warrior, Byung-hun Lee (I Saw the Devil 2010, Terminator Genisys 2015) as Billy Rocks; The Assassin, Ethan Hawke (Before Sunrise 1995, The Purge 2013) as Goodnight Robicheaux; a sharpshooter with a past, and Vincent D’Onofrio (Full Metal Jacket 1987, Men in Black 1997) as the Tracker Jack Horne.
Accompanying them is also a stellar cast including Peter Sarsgaard (Jarhead 2005, Orphan 2009) as Bartholomew Bogue; a corrupt industrialist whose injustices led to many, many deaths, Haley Bennett (Marley & Me 2008, Hardcore Henry 2015) as Emma Cullen; the woman who hired the Magnificent Seven, and Luke Grimes (American Sniper 2014, Fifty Shades of Grey 2015) as Teddy Q; her associate, and Bogue’s right arm McCann, played by Cam Gigandet (Pandorum 2009, Priest 2011).
- Still from The Magnificent Seven
The year is 1879 and one of the most hated, powerful men of the west, known as Bogue, is aiming at the little mining town of Rose Creek as his new target. Setting his sights at the mine’s gold, he takes control of the town by murdering anyone and everyone who stands in his way. After burning the local church, Bogue is confronted by Matthew Cullen, played by Matt Bomer, and the latter is killed in cold blood for standing up to Bogue. Emma Cullen, Matthew’s wife, decides to look for a solution at the nearest town and take back what her husband died to defend. At the town, Emma and Teddy Q encounter Sam Chisolm and ask for his help. Reluctantly, Sam agrees. Knowing Bogue is not going to be an easy target, he travels the towns searching for other valiant people with special skills to help him in his journey. Sam enlists the gambler, the outlaw, the sharpshooter, the Comanche Warrior, the tracker, and the assassin as his allies. Together, they make up The Magnificent Seven.
An army of seven against an army of dozens are no match for the Magnificent Seven, and the rest of the town is trained to help fight for their town. Preparations are being made and the town seems ready when Bogue arrives, but to everyone’s surprise, Bogue brings out a Gatling gun and some of the townspeople, including a few of the Magnificent Seven, meet their fate in the hands of Bogue and Bogue’s men. Many will enter, only a few will come out alive.
Without a doubt, The Magnificent Seven will win a lot of awards and acknowledgements on why it was one of the best films of 2016. The creativity used for this film is by far one of the best works of Fuqua. It is solidified by breathtaking cinematography done by Mauro Fiore (Training Day 2001, The Equalizer 2014), remarkable directing of Fuqua, as well as impeccable writing done by both Richard Wenk (The Mechanic 2011, The Expendables 2 2012) and Nic Pizzolatto (The Killing 2011, True Detective 2015). These are just a few of the reasons why 2016’s The Magnificent Seven surpasses every line of expectancy and went above and beyond to entertain its viewers.
- Still from The Magnificent Seven
There are mixed reviews as to why this version is good or not, but one thing is for sure, it really did very well in respects for its predecessors. A lot of movie lovers argue that remakes are not ever a good idea, but when it came to this film, the remake may have even been better than the first two movies. Every minutes detail about The Magnificent Seven was immaculate and it is worth watching more than a few times. This will undoubtedly be one of the Westerns that will change the genre in its entirety, and only for the best. CrypticRock gives The Magnificent Seven 5 out of 5 stars.
- Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer/ Columbia Pictures
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