When MGM announced The Magnificent Seven remake, just about everyone kinda sighed. Not the kind of sigh that showed people were enthusiastic to get an upgrade on the 1960 classic. It was more of a sigh that said, “Right, another classic is getting a soulless remake.” So, when it eventually dropped in 2016, it made a bit of money and then just… disappeared. Critics weren’t exactly thrilled with a storyline they basically deemed too thin and lacking in depth compared to its 1960 predecessor of the same name, which in turn was a remake of Akira Kurosawa’s Seven Samurai (1954).
To be fair, they at least praised it for its thrilling action sequences and a diverse cast that included big hitters like Denzel Washington, Chris Pratt, and Ethan Hawke. Director Antoine Fuqua made a smart choice not try to recapture the heart of the classics. Instead, he made a straight-up “guys on a mission” movie. He got a bunch of awesome actors together: Washington as the leader, Pratt as the funny guy, Hawke as the sniper with nerves, and even Vincent D’Onofrio in the mix. The movie knows the villain’s just a greedy guy in a fancy coat. It also knows the storyline is just an excuse to get to the shooting. And because it doesn’t try to be super serious, it ends up being a blast.
Denzel Washington, Chris Pratt, and Ethan Hawke Set the Movie’s Tone in the First Act
The Magnificent Seven follows a brutal industrialist terrorizing a small frontier town, so the townsfolk hire seven deadly badasses to protect them. What starts as a payday turns into a bloody stand for justice and sacrifice when the seven face overwhelming odds.
You immediately get a sense of what this movie is trying to do within the first few minutes. And it all has to do with the massive stars on display. They’re the real draw, not some deep story. Take Sam Chisholm, for instance. Washington just waltzes in and does that Denzel Washington thing where he just wears that look, stands up straight, and you immediately think, “Yep, that’s the boss.” No big speeches needed. He makes being a cowboy look easy, and you get the feeling that he’s having the time of his life playing the cool, calm center of the storm. It’s the kind of performance that makes a die-hard Western fan wonder why the veteran actor doesn’t do more Westerns.
Meanwhile, Pratt shows up as Josh Faraday to make sure things don’t get too heavy. He’s the funny gambler who cracks jokes and does tricks. But the genius part of it all is that even when his character is horsing around, you never forget that he’s dangerous when he needs to be. That gun around his waist isn’t just a prop; it’s part of who he is. All in all, Pratt’s charm keeps the movie from getting too serious without turning it into a silly joke.
Then there’s Hawke’s Goodnight Robicheaux, who brings a whole different flavor to the other characters. He’s a legendary sniper, but when we first try to see him shoot, he chokes. Big time. That moment is the first real moment that gives the viewer the impression that these guys are not all perfect gunslingers who are showing up to take down the bad guy. In that moment, they don’t feel like a deep brotherhood, but like the coolest, most interesting group you’d want on your side in a bar fight.
The chemistry these three have is not the kind that comes from a deep friendship, but from combining their different styles and bouncing off each other in fun ways. Ultimately, by the time the rest of the Seven join up, the movie already has a pulse. The audience is not waiting to be impressed because they’re already locked in.
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That Big Town Shootout Is Why “The Magnificent Seven” Is Worth Watching
The whole movie is basically one big build-up to the final shootout in the town of Rose Creek. And when it starts, the movie commits fully to being a big, loud, crazy action scene. Here, the filmmakers don’t aim for careful realism. Think of it like a playable level from a really good video game. You see the plans they talked about actually happen, and each character gets their moment to shine doing what they do best.
Chisholm leads without giving a pep talk. He just barks orders and people listen. Faraday’s fun-loving attitude gets serious when he makes a brave, last-ditch move that feels totally earned. And Goodnight finally works through his nerves in a cool sniper sequence that’s more about quiet relief than loud cheering.
And then there’s the Gatling gun. Oh man, the Gatling gun. That thing shouldn’t be allowed to exist, period, let alone on a movie set. It’s like a magic bullet hose that never runs out of bullets. In short, the whole thing’s so over the top that you can’t help but smile. But that’s the point. The movie’s not asking you to believe it; it’s asking you to grab your popcorn and enjoy the fireworks. Overall, the finale is messy, loud, explosive, and exactly what the first hour promises. It doesn’t try to be clever or subvert your expectations; it just wants to send you off on a high note with a bunch of explosions, and it totally succeeds.
Watch The Magnificent Seven on Prime Video. Turn off your critical mind for a couple of hours and just enjoy.
