The Magnificent Seven (2016)

With so many classics I've yet to see, I'd never class myself as western connoisseur but the genre can be a guilty pleasure. The days of cowboys dominating the silver screen are very well behind us and are now usually located only on TCM but once in a while a producer, who isn't afraid to lose money, tries their hand at bringing the genre back. In 2016, Antoine Fuqua tried just that with his remake of a remake The Magnificent Seven starring Denzel Washington and Chris Pratt.

Taking over from Yul Brynner, Washington is called upon to help save at town from a vicious businessmen (a slimy Peter Sarsgaard) and rallies together six other men to bring back justice. Despite its simplicity, Fuqua starts strong with a grim introduction as anyone who stands up to Sarsgaard is brutally murdered and, despite what some critics had said, I found the film to be very engaging and entertaining throughout.

Fuqua is an experienced director when it comes to action and drama, which this delivers on, but much of the credit should go to the late James Horner who scored the film. The opening credit sequence alone fits the tone of the film brilliantly while still feeling original in a genre that has been exploited every-which-way possible. Meanwhile, the cast that also includes Ethan Hawke, Haley Bennett and Vincent D'Onofrio get just enough screentime to develop their characters but this is the film's one weak point. With the exception of Washington and Hawke's characters, the rest fit into the cliches such as the Mexican guy, the big guy and the cocky guy. With just a little more characterisation in the middle, it would have made the final act all stronger when we see the team go against the odds.

The Magnificent Seven isn't perfect but does enough right to please both newcomers and fans of the original. Denzel and the cast also impress, and this is an easy recommend for anyone in search of some light-entertainment. Chris Pratt might not be Steve McQueen, but this wasn't a bad shot at bringing the genre back to the silver screen.