The Magnificent Seven review by Rashid Irani: Denzel in distress - Hindustan Times
close_game
close_game

The Magnificent Seven review by Rashid Irani: Denzel in distress

Hindustan Times | ByRashid Irani
Sep 24, 2016 03:54 PM IST

The film is superbly shot, in widescreen, on 35mm celluloid, but is just not as entertaining as the 1960 version.

THE MAGNIFICENT SEVEN

African-American director Antoine Fuqua revels in nonstop carnage, especially in the protracted and noisy climactic shootout.
African-American director Antoine Fuqua revels in nonstop carnage, especially in the protracted and noisy climactic shootout.

Direction: Antoine Fuqua

Hindustan Times - your fastest source for breaking news! Read now.

Actors: Denzel Washington, Chris Patt, Ethan Hawke

Rating: 2 / 5

The magnificence of the titular septet is barely discernible in this unwarranted update of the 1960 Western that was itself a remake of the 1954 Japanese classic Seven Samurai.

While the Akira Kurosawa and John Sturges films were set in small rural villages in Japan and Mexico respectively, the latest iteration unfolds in a hardscrabble American frontier town, circa 1879.

Borrowing the basic template from its progenitors, the run-of-the mill action-adventure zeroes in on seven sharp-shooters who saddle up to stop a tyrannical industrialist and his trigger-happy henchmen from terrorising the populace.

Read: The Magnificent Seven is ‘like a jazz band,’ says director Antoine Fuqua

Collaborating with Antoine Fuqua for a third time, Denzel Washington, dressed in black from head to toe, is convincing in the first cowboy role of his career.
Collaborating with Antoine Fuqua for a third time, Denzel Washington, dressed in black from head to toe, is convincing in the first cowboy role of his career.

The band of protectors is led by a taciturn bounty hunter (Denzel Washington). Undaunted by the overwhelming odds, he is also determined to ensure that a widow (Haley Bennett) gets retribution for her husband’s murder at the hands of the arch-villain.

Among the rest of the half-dozen disreputable hombres, there’s a crack sniper (Ethan Hawke), a hard-drinking gambler (Chris Pratt) and a Bible-spouting tracker (the versatile Vincent D’Onofrio).

In a token nod to diversity a Mexican, a Comanche and an ace Chinese knife-thrower (South Korean actor Byung-hun Lee taking over the role immortalised by James Coburn in the 1960 film) are also thrown into the mix.

Read: The Magnificent Seven could easily band together and defeat Trump- Ethan Hawke

African-American director Antoine Fuqua (Southpaw) revels in nonstop carnage, especially in the protracted and noisy climactic shootout. Even the beleaguered widow turns out to be adept with a shotgun.

To its credit, the film is superbly shot, in widescreen, on 35mm celluloid.

Collaborating with Antoine Fuqua for a third time (after Training Day and The Equalizer) Washington, dressed in black from head to toe, is convincing in the first cowboy role of his career.

Read: Denzel Washington never watched the original Magnificent Seven as a kid

Peter Sarsgaard, though, is miscast as the baddie, a role which will be always associated with Eli Wallach in the Sturges movie.

Recommended, but only for those unfamiliar with the more entertaining 1960 version.

Watch the trailer for The Magnificent Seven

Explore the art deco structures of Mumbai through a heritage walk with HT! Participate now.

Get more updates from Bollywood, Hollywood, Music and Web Series along with Latest Entertainment News at Hindustan Times.
SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON
Share this article
SHARE
Story Saved
Live Score
OPEN APP
Saved Articles
Following
My Reads
Sign out
New Delhi 0C
Friday, March 29, 2024
Start 14 Days Free Trial Subscribe Now
Follow Us On