The Quick of It -
I heard a snidbit of an interview that discussed the birth, or
should I say rebirth, of this film.
Antoine Fuqua was challenged by one of the producers with the very real
question, “Who will play the Yul Brynner role?” I believe, to paraphrase and probably butcher his reply, “I
wonder what Denzel Washington would look like in a black hat?” This could all be just speculative
conversation during the initial talks, but you can’t help but believe this must
have been said at least once.
The answer to that question is clear after Denzel’s first few
minutes on screen, and it is ‘magnificent’.
I am such a fan-boy for this guy.
I have heard tales of his professionalism when it comes to making a
movie, beyond the actor’s contribution to a project. His wisdom has probably saved more projects than we will ever
know. After seeing him in action all
these years, you know that there can be no doubt of his ‘it’ factor. And he is all that and a bag of chips here.
Let me put it another way. I
have this horrible opinion about running around conventions trying to grab
autographs and taking pics with celebrities is the most absurd thing. Don’t get me wrong, I understand to a point
why people do this. But, really? These actors could care less who you are and
they are not the actual characters you fell in love with. And the ‘fees’…? Again… absurd. It should
be their work as a whole that makes you excited to see them, not the part they
play in a popular show. For me, Denzel
is one I would chase through maddening halls, filled with cosplay crazies and
hygienicly deficient people, and willing to pay those exorbitant fees.
So, the movie…
Director Antoine Fuqua (of TRAINGING DAY, SHOOTER, THE EQUALIZER,
OLYMPUS HAS FALLEN, BAIT, SHOWPAW) has a track record with Denzel and together;
they have the ability to pull a masterful project together. So when challenged to remake a high profile
classic, there is no doubt they do so with resounding authority. The story is a little choppy in parts and
seemed partially rushed when gathering the forces, but THE MAGNIFICENT SEVEN
far exceeds this year’s other remakes (please reference GHOSTBUSTERS and
BEN-HUR) and does live up to the hype.
The acting is exceptional from all involved, which helped to define the
uniqueness of each character. The
setting was not as gritty as I would envision an authentic western should
be. There was a clean presentation to
the scenes and people… if you know what I mean (please reference the hygienicly
deficient people). I call it the ‘CSI
Miami syndrome’. This is where you have
sets super tidy and looking like a shiny nickel – such as shipping containers
on a large dock not having one speck of rust.
One standout was Peter Sarsgaard (of JARHEAD, ORPHAN, GRREN LANTERN,
BLACK MASS), playing the notorious bad guy Bartholomew Bogue. He carries himself in such a way that you
take notice of him even when around these other highly recognizable
actors. The tension scene that launches
this revenge flick was fantastically executed and made you want to see his
demise. Also, Haley Bennett (of THE
EQUALIZER, HARDCORE HENRY, MARLEY & ME), playing the lead female, continues
the empowered woman trend, but does so subtly, as not to feel preachy. Her part may have been diminished with so
much screen time needed for other characters, but she was the linchpin and held
her own. If she had failed to make you
sympathize, everything would have unraveled by the end.
Remakes are always a risky venture, even now when studios and
directors should have a greater understanding of what makes a film
successful. With Fuqua at the helm and
the amazing cast, was there ever any question of its success?
Grade: B+
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