The Magnificent Seven

I decided to watch this as a classic western and forget that it’s a remake, but it wasn't much help. As usual, the Americans made it politically correct, so the magnificent seven were missing only a Jew and an Arab to make them complete. The brave Indian doesn't hesitate to put his own life on the line so that the enemy doesn't take the land the settlers took from the Indians. In fact, the whole thing looked like a United Nations meeting. I did like the film quite a bit in the first two thirds, but it quickly lost momentum with increasing poignant scenes and booming epic music. I was only pleased with Vincent D'Onofrio, Ethan Hawke, and Haley Bennett. (16/01/2017)

Condemning it because of nostalgia or resistance to correctness is, of course, stupid. The film has problems elsewhere. The cast is strong, but Fuqua doesn't get much out of it, especially in the first half, just a demonstration of photogenic faces and poses. Things come to light in the final battle, and until then, sometimes a one-liner here and there sparkles, which Nic Pizzolatto knows how to write. The last third is a pleasant old-school battle with a good pace and quite pleasantly chosen deaths in the group. The problem of The Magnificent Seven is precisely that they are somehow indecisively straddled between a classic western and a buddy action film with a more modern style. When in the end there is a "Technicolor" palette with tombs and the notorious melody of Elmer Bernstein, it feels completely false. The golden age of the western is gone and this group rather swiftly passed it by. Which, given its composition, is actually too little. Sympathetic *** (31/12/2016)

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. (27/09/2016)

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)

I have to admit, the 2016 remake of The Magnificent Seven worked for me. I ended up giving it four stars, and honestly, I’m going to skip over the usual gripes I have with modern Hollywood and just say this was a solid blockbuster. Sure, the lineup of the seven is a pretty on-the-nose mix of white, Black, Asian, and everything in between, and yes, the political correctness is off the charts—but let’s not dwell on that. What the director nailed was the action and the atmosphere. It’s a simple, no-fuss, entertaining ride, and I had a lot of fun with it. It doesn’t feel like a lazy cash-grab remake, but more like a tribute to the original legends, and the cast definitely delivered. They worked so well together, making it a joy to watch—except for the villain, who felt like a bit of a one-dimensional idiot. But if you know the original, you’ll know he gets his just desserts in the end, and trust me, it’s worth sticking around for. All in all, a fun buddy-action flick, which Hollywood doesn’t churn out like it used to. Definitely a nice surprise. (14/03/2021)