After watching The Magnificent 7 this weekend and seeing its success in the box office, this reviewer is still not clear why the movie did so well. On paper, the concept of The Magnificent 7 sounds rushed and terrible, but the movie rises above this terrible premise (a remake of a reimagining of a Japanese epic) to become an amazing action movie and a revival of the western genre.
Westerns have been a risky venture lately, with The Lone Ranger being the last high profile flop to come from the genre, and after Pratt’s previous hits The Lego Movie and Jurassic World, a western seemed an odd choice. Alongside an all-star cast, including Denzel Washington and Ethan Hawke, Pratt seems to have made the right choice, as the actor is cast perfectly alongside his co-stars. Pratt plays a charismatic cowboy with a forgettable name and without spoiling, goes on quite the adventure alongside fellow cowboys.
While The Magnificent 7 does have several issues with characterization (the viewer never really sees 4 of the 7 characters). The Magnificent 7 is an enjoyable movie, while not quite as good as the original, but still succeeds at being an enjoyable ride through the wild west with lots of heart and action. The Magnificent 7 is great for anyone who wants to watch some fun gunslinging action or wants to sit back and watch Chris Pratt in a tight vest saying cool things, "I believe that bear is wearing peoples' clothes." This is (hopefully) a return to form for the western genre, and this movie reignites the western genre with a bang.