Fast paced, gun-slinging action and a formula too familiar, The Magnificent 7 packs some punch (and some dynamite) into two hours of non-stop action. Antoine Fuqua (Training Day) collaborates with Denzel Washington and Ethan Hawke for a journey back to Wild West.
The stage is set in the first few scenes as the town of Rose Creek is under the control of a ruthless industrialist named Bartholomew Bogue (Peter Sarsgaard). The opening sequence takes place in a church where Bogue establishes his character’s ruthlessness, as he takes the men out and kills half a dozen of them and sets the church ablaze.
That is when Emma Cullen (Haley Bennett) and Teddy Q (Luke Grimes) set out to unite the seven, as Cullen also seeks revenge.
Each member of the seven is introduced western-style by killing someone in dramatic fashion. Chisolm, a very matter-a-fact warrant officer played by Denzel Washington, clears a saloon single handily.
Chris Pratt’s character Josh Faraday, is introduced as a wise-cracking, trickster who’s good with a deck of cards. Vasquez (Manuel Garcia-Rulfo) is a sharpshooting ‘Texican.’
Goodnight Robincheaux (Ethan Hawke), a legendary Confederate marksman and Billy Rocks (Byung-hun Lee), a knife-wielding, ninja-like sidekick come as a package.
Next up is the gentle giant known as Jack Horne (Vincent D’Onofrio).
After a night in a canyon, an Indian ambush seems inevitable, but instead the soft-spoken Red Harvest (Martin Sensmeier) becomes the seventh member.
The Magnificent 7 makes each introduction very unique and specific to the character. Each violent introduction gives the character personality without the need for much dialogue, and that is a strength of the movie.
The first time where the seven really shine together is by entering the town and thoroughly and effortlessly taking out Bogue’s men. The chemistry between the characters is very believable as they each feed off of each other.
Each character is able to further demonstrate their abilities in some very well shot action sequences that deliver terrific gun-slinging, arrow shooting, knife-throwing action.
The cinematography was exceptional in many scenes. There are some beautiful landscaping shots of the western wilderness and the fight scenes are fluid and show the action without shaky cam or jump-cuts.
The comedy works very well and is peppered throughout just enough to offset the action. Pratt delivers the majority of the jokes as expected, but D’Onofrio’s deliveries on his comedic lines were hysterical and a unexpected surprise.
The climax delivers as the town prepares for retaliation from Bogue and his army. The seven each get to showcase their skills as Bogue’s men bear down on the town. The action here is once again shot beautifully, as it can all be seen, with no jump-cuts.
This is a western movie and at its heart, it’s known as a revenge flick. In true western style, the movie concludes with a classic ride into the sunset.
Rate: 9/10
Photo courtesy of MGM and Columbia Pictures