I enjoyed both movies, and became a fan of the easy-to-follow "morality plays" -- wrapped in scenic vistas, horseplay and gunfights -- that have epitomized the genre since its heyday in the 1950s and 60s.
In addition to seeing those two movies in the theater, my parents rented a trio of John Wayne movies to watch on that Fourth of July. So we settled down with snacks, drinks, and "The Duke" to celebrate our nation's independence.
Throughout the years, it is a genre I have maintained a fondness for, even though the tales are scant seen on the Big Screen.
Remakes of classic tales are what we typically see these days -- "3:10 to Yuma" and "True Grit" being recent, high-profile examples.
I am pleased to report that director Antoine Fuqua's new remake of "The Magnificent Seven" is a fun, scenic, action-packed addition to the western genre.
The basic story is this: An evil businessman named Bogue is oppressing, killing and otherwise impeding freedom in Rose Creek -- a small town comprised of honest farmers. Emma Cullen (whose husband is gunned down in cold blood by the evil doers) sets out to hire a ragtag group of rogue gunmen to take back the town.
We all know where this is going. It doesn't matter that the movie is a remake of the 1960 Yul Brynner vehicle of the same name (which itself was a remake of the Kurosawa film "Seven Samurai").
It is a story that has been done a zillion times in multiple genres. It is an instant recipe for dramatic tension, and is employed in many terrific action films.
There are a couple of standout performances in the movie.
Denzel Washington plays Sam Chisolm, a warrant officer who is hired to put the team together. He is like a finely honed knife, and does the best he can to add depth to material that isn't exactly subtle and nuanced.
(As a side note, it is incredible how "ageless" Denzel is -- the man doesn't appear to get old).
Chisolm's first recruit is gambler/drinker/gunman Josh Faraday, who is played with whimsy by Chris Pratt. As we've seen in "Guardians of the Galaxy" and "Jurassic World," Chris Pratt basically plays Chris Pratt -- the embodiment of a good-natured fanboy portraying an amalgamation of all the charming action heroes we saw back in the 1980s. That's what audiences want, and I'm totally fine with that.
The rest of the crew is less well defined. Ethan Hawke tries to bring a quirky, intellectual, eccentric vibe to sharpshooter Goodnight Robicheaux (like Val Kilmer in 1993's "Tombstone"), but the effect is never fully realized.
The attempts to try and drill down the rest of the "Seven" feels a tad bit forced and vague.
But that's not an issue at all. We all know what these characters are here to do.
The movie was filmed in Louisiana and New Mexico (the latter for the rugged western vistas). The overall production value was handsome, if not totally epic.
I've read online that this was composer James Horner's final score. Parts were beautiful and atmospheric, but I wished they had included Elmer Bernstein's rousing anthem (from the 1960 original) in more than just the end credit title card.
If you like westerns and fun action/adventure movies, give "The Magnificent Seven" a try.
It might not be high art, but it is an entertaining ride.
Rated PG-13. Runtime: 2 hrs, 13 min
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