This is a film I wanted to watch in cinema but never had the chance. Some might cringe at the idea of a Magnificent Seven reboot, but this movie comes off of the back of so many previous remakes, sequels, and parodies, I don't care anymore that someone else wants to take yet another crack at this franchise. I didn't see it at cinemas, I saw it at home. And it isn't even worth seeing there.
This movie lacks any of the thoughtful commentary from The Seven Samurai or original Magnificent Seven, but more the pity that it doesn't offer much else on its place. Instead this 2016 remake sets itself up as a straight action movie and it is utterly uncompelling even as that.
I can't blame the actors too much. Chris Pratt and co. clearly adore having the opportunity to play classic gunslingers, but they are trying to uphold an especially insipid script. Previous films pitched these charismatic, badass gunslingers as being against unbeatable odds in a world where they could never ultimately win, but here they utterly dominate the plains and flatten an entire army of evil henchmen. The only reason they come close to losing is because the villain has a Gatling gun, which for some reason is seen as the BFG 9000 of the wild West. Where is the tension? Where is the drama? Where is the excitement?
As a straight action movie, too much time is spent building up to one big fight that lacks any tension. Skip the message of the original movies if you like, but at least keep the excitement. This movie had none. It is dull, unimaginative, and utterly undeserving of even a DVD rental. Skip it and enjoy any of the previous versions.
The Maladjusted Seven
This is a film I wanted to watch in cinema but never had the chance. Some might cringe at the idea of a Magnificent Seven reboot, but this movie comes off of the back of so many previous remakes, sequels, and parodies, I don't care anymore that someone else wants to take yet another crack at this franchise. I didn't see it at cinemas, I saw it at home. And it isn't even worth seeing there.
This movie lacks any of the thoughtful commentary from The Seven Samurai or original Magnificent Seven, but more the pity that it doesn't offer much else on its place. Instead this 2016 remake sets itself up as a straight action movie and it is utterly uncompelling even as that.
I can't blame the actors too much. Chris Pratt and co. clearly adore having the opportunity to play classic gunslingers, but they are trying to uphold an especially insipid script. Previous films pitched these charismatic, badass gunslingers as being against unbeatable odds in a world where they could never ultimately win, but here they utterly dominate the plains and flatten an entire army of evil henchmen. The only reason they come close to losing is because the villain has a Gatling gun, which for some reason is seen as the BFG 9000 of the wild West. Where is the tension? Where is the drama? Where is the excitement?
As a straight action movie, too much time is spent building up to one big fight that lacks any tension. Skip the message of the original movies if you like, but at least keep the excitement. This movie had none. It is dull, unimaginative, and utterly undeserving of even a DVD rental. Skip it and enjoy any of the previous versions.