Classic Western films had a sort of inherent charm which allowed them to be as popular as they were back in their Golden Age in the early 20th century. There was something fantastical, almost mythical, to them, attractive to audiences much like modern superhero films are today. These days, however, the appeal of the traditional Western genre seems to have more or less disappeared, with recent films like “The Lone Ranger” ending up as box office failures.
Hollywood still seems to hold hope in the nostalgia of the Western genre, as “The Magnificent Seven” — yet another in a string of recent Hollywood reboots — aims to mimic the unique, rugged magic of the Western films of old. While returning to the worn world of cowboys has its fair share of fun, the movie rarely manages to step out of its comfort zone, and feels almost as if it’s trying to fulfil a predictable checklist of essential Western tropes.
Peppered with bits of humor and intense, elongated action sequences, “The Magnificent Seven” presents a fairly straightforward storyline and provides a good bit of fun for a casual watch.
The movie, directed by Antoine Fuqua, suffers heavily from is its lackluster attempts to construct a unique film in the well-trodden Midwestern setting. The titular Magnificent Seven seem to join forces simply because the plot demands it, moving predictably from scene to scene at a sluggish, almost yawn-inducing pace. Close-up, Mexican stand-off style showdown sequences are annoyingly drawn out, serving only to build artificial tension, and action segments are far louder and longer than they need to be. Both take up time better dedicated to fleshing out of the main characters in the film.
Credit is due to the costume and set designers, as they beautifully capture the essence of the Wild West setting. The composer, however, didn’t seem to get the message, with the music sounding as generic and repetitive as can be, not lending itself well to otherwise carefully crafted setting.
Joshua Faraday (Chris Pratt) is the shining gem who keeps the film interesting. Pratt’s ability to portray an overconfident yet humorous character is put on full display here, complete with his signature cocky one-liners. In fact, the comical interactions between the Seven keeps the film watchable, despite feeling a bit forced at times.
However, certain members of the starring motley crew seemingly exist only as caricatures, combinations of tropes masquerading as fleshed-out characters. Native warrior Red Harvest (Martin Sensmeier) and womanizing Vasquez (Manuel Garcia-Rulfo) feel neglected and forced into the film. Faraday and Sam Chisolm (Denzel Washington), the group’s leader, hog the spotlight.
“The Magnificent Seven” isn’t an awful movie. It provides fun humor and action moments perfectly worthy of an occasional TV watch with friends. In the end, however, its rehashing of old tropes and its sluggish pace hinder it from being worth the price of a movie ticket.
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