The Magnificent Seven

I'm not for banning anything; creators should have freedom as long as they're not infringing on anyone's rights, but making remakes of films like The Magnificent Seven, especially a film that is itself a remake, is just odd. The new film absolutely lacks any atmosphere; I didn't get a sense of the Wild West or get closer to the characters at all. Points are only awarded for the shootouts, which, on the other hand, are absolutely fantastic. (16/01/2017)

The Equalizer times seven. Fuqua doesn't show off that much, and so he only pulls a truly sovereign treat out of his sleeve once. The rest of it is standard action routine that's hidden far below his directorial standards, making the central seven whine even more in their uninterestingness, where about 1.5 charisma works in the flatness of the coffin planks. I've managed to miss out on the original for years, so I was expecting more of a B-action orgy in a Wild West setting than a major creative comparison, but the rescue of the White House chief worked more sovereignly. (22/09/2016)

It's not a bad film, I'll probably like it even more the second time around, because it's not about anything other than entertaining the viewer and not embarrassing itself, and that's a pretty sympathetic approach. Still, I'm sorry that there wasn't a more imaginative remake that would have put The Magnificent Seven in a different setting - it could have been a gangster movie, a story from the Second World War, a Cold War retro, sci-fi from another planet... Look what Pixar did with that tired plot in A Bug's Life. (17/02/2017)

From the very beginning I was against a remake, but in the end I took pity on it because Pizzolatto wrote the screenplay, although clearly some cuts have been made, some motifs are not developed at all and so it certainly isn’t one of the strengths of the entire project. Capitalism presented as a villain, gradual recruitment and even the diverse seven somehow work. But the massacre in the finale is this year’s action treat. The cast is pleasant, Pratt is really fine. It can’t compete with the original, but I understand the idea of giving the Magnificent Seven a modern overcoat. So far, so good. (28/09/2016)

Although the original is a film of my youth, I was very pleased with the remake and can declare it a success! The Magnificent Seven is my very first movie in the cinema without any subtitle support, so I might have missed some of the jokes, but I still enjoyed it to the max. The cast is excellent, with the best being Denzel Washington, who enjoys the role to the hilt, he is natural and looks like he was born in Western, his ultimate mode in the finale is a joy to watch. Chris Pratt is a decent second to him, he is definitely a new star, a likable man guy full of charisma who entertains the audience with his humour and magic (we will see a lot more interesting things from him in the future). I personally enjoyed Byeong-heon Lee, he warmed my Asian heart with his knife tricks, which again was a joy to watch. Ethan Hawke and Vincent D'Onofrio didn't shine too much. In terms of action, there are only two major set-pieces, with the final one being perhaps half an hour long and the biggest roar in the wild west we've ever seen. Very intense, explosive, suspenseful, loud and emotional! I found the original better in story building and character introduction, but here the action was more polished and the visuals more stylish (which makes sense). I recommend it. Story 6/10, Atmosphere 9/10, Gore 3/10, Visuals 9/10, Action 10/10, Suspense 8/10, Humor 6/10. Entertainment 8/10, Scares 0/10. 85%. (30/09/2016)