The Magnificent Seven (2016)

Director: Antoine Fuqua
Starring: Denzel Washington, Chris Pratt, Ethan Hawke

Synopsis:
The citizens of a small town hire a band of gunfighters to defend them from a robber baron.

Impressions:
Though I didn't see this movie in theaters, it was on my radar. I tend to be leery of remakes, but I like the principal cast members and wanted to give it a shot. I was rather pleased with how it turned out. I don't think it'll be remembered as a timeless classic as the original, but it's a good movie that's worth a watch. The cast is more obligatorily diverse, but the characters are nicely varied as individuals and not just demographic checkboxes. Really, of the Seven, only Red Harvest didn't seem to get much characterization (but he does at least have a cool name). The pairings of Faraday and Vasquez and Robicheaux and Billy are particularly good. Peter Sarsgaard also isn't bad as main villain Bogue. There are some good action sequences and the finale gives you a lot of bang for your buck. Film buffs may also want to note that this is the last composer credit for James Horner, who had written the score before his death. As I said earlier, it may not become a classic, but it's worth a watch at the very least.

Rating:
Watch It