The Magnificent Seven (2016)

Content by Tony Macklin. Originally published on September 27, 2016 @ tonymacklin.net.

The Magnificent Seven could be titled The Multi-Cultural Seven.

Times are a-changing.'

We knew the rehashed The Magnificent Seven would have more action and less character. The characters would be a check list of diversity. Mexican, check. Asian, check. African-American, check. Waldo, no check.

The original American version had a Mexican - played by a German, Horst Buchholz. That was diversity in 1960.

And now a strong woman, Emma Cullen (Haley Bennett), has replaced the quavering Mexican villagers who hired the Seven. She could have been a ghost buster in the old west.

I assumed gifted actor Matt Bomer, who in actuality is married to his male partner, might play the Gay Cabellero in The Magnificent Seven, but he doesn't even make the Seven. That would be too much. He's disposed of early.

And there's also the Gatling gun, which is so much more macho than pitchforks. It blasts the west to seventh heaven.

The Magnificent Seven is a prime example of what has taken place over past decades in the movies. The original Seven Samurai was a Japanese film that filled Art Theatres in the '50s and '60s. The 1960 American version had a terrific ensemble cast, headed by Steve McQueen, Yul Brynner, and Eli Wallach. [Wallach as the villain had a verve that Peter Sarsgaard is lacking in the present version.] It was a hit in the US. But it only garnered a single Oscar nomination - Elmer Bernstein for the score.

Seven Samurai (1954) is a classic directed by master filmmaker Akira Kurosawa. The Magnificent Seven, directed by John Sturges, has taken a place as an indelible western tale. The new remake, directed by Antoine Fugua, is just another western. It has its moments, but little that is substantial. But it will please audiences.

What is surefire is Denzel Washington, the leader of the Seven. Two contemporary actors who still have the clout to bring people into theaters are Tom Cruise, with his impulsive energy, and Denzel, with his graceful gravitas. His playful panache. He is one cool dude.

Many audiences today expect a cluster-muck of action and violence. Don't let character and dialogue get in the way. It seems as though most contemporary films never met a word they couldn't blow up.

If Fuqua had to blow up words, I wish he had included at the end Emma's telling the audience that the experience of the Seven, "It was... magnificent."

That's simply lousy writing.

The screenplay is by Nic Pizzolatto and Richard Wenk. They change the names of the characters from the 1960 version. That's about it. Then the casting director and Fuqua take over.

The script has less character but more explanation of character. The writers give Sam Chisholm (Denzel) a motive that is strained and unnecessary. The original leader in the 1960's version was enigmatic. Explanation replaces mystery.

The writers create some smart wisecracks. When Robicheaux (Ethan Hawke) says he will use "one-syllable words," Faraday (Chris Pratt) responds, "What's a syllable?" Ah, audience?

Faraday probably would have known what a "decibel" is. The film resounds with them.

Lucas Entertainment has released a gay porn film called, The Magnificent Seven. No, not George Lucas.

It's a new world at the movies.

But I draw the line at Kevin Hart as Shane.