[Inspector Abberline]

The Magnificent Seven (2016)


Since were talking a remake of a remake,its pretty hard to criticize on that score at least,and since this remake has very little to do with the film that starred Yul Brynner, Horst Buchholz, James Coburn, Steve McQueen and Robert Vaughn etc,then its more in the way of what kids call a re-imagining,which is I suppose the same as what John Sturges did with the Seven Samurai.The difference being that I cannot see this new version being repeated in forty years time and become all time classic,that the Sturges film became.The real main difference being is that the 1960 version had a pretty amazing cast of actors that portrayed a rather great bunch of anti heroes. Unfortunately although there is a fairly good cast of actors in Antoine Fuqua's film,including Denzel Washington, Chris Pratt and Ethan Hawke none of them can hold a candle to the likes of Charles Bronson, Yul Brynner, Horst Buchholz, James Coburn and the great Steve McQueen. In the new film the story now takes place in the mining town of Rose Creek ,where Bartholomew Bogue (Peter Sarsgaard) and his bunch of gun totting henchmen,want to take over the town and the surrounding area for its lucrative mining. After a massacre at the church which left Emma Cullen (Haley Bennett) husband killed and half the towns folk slaughtered,she takes a bag full of money and rides out to hire some help.There is obviously some major plot changes here between this and the 1960 version,and I have to say not for the better. WAS it because they did not want to stereotype the Mexican community or did they just run out of those funny looking Mexican cowboy hats.Also they really push the ethnically diversity amongst the bunch,its almost like they had to fill a quota. In its favor the film does look good and is well directed by Antoine Fuqua,but the main problem definitely lies with the story and script,you really do not feel any sympathy at all for the towns folk, and even less for the seven,even if they are out numbered and out gunned. Casting wise while Denzel Washington who plays Sam Chisolm is ok,the only other character which had any real personality was Manuel Garcia-Rulfo as Vasquez. At best the film is average at worst it has no real passion or spark,and certainly not as good as some recent modern westerns like 3:10 to Yuma (2007).