The Magnificent Seven

The Western has long become a rarity on the big screen, replaced over the last few decades as the dominant action genre first by bulging muscles and explosions, then by spandex and superpowers. So this big-budget remake of the 1960 classic comes as a welcome breath of tobacco-filled air, even if it doesn't quite live up to its predecessor. But as a piece of popcorn entertainment, it fires on all cylinders. Not surprisingly with Antoine Fuqua (Training Day, The Equalizer, Shooter) calling the shots, subtlety is pushed aside for frenetic set pieces and belief-defying heroics, especially in the wild climactic showdown that demonstrates minimal CGI does not equal minimal fun. Amongst all the balletic gunplay and macho posturing there's a relatively simple story: town is overrun by a dastardly villain (Peter Sarsgaard oozing creepiness), town employs cowboys-for-hire (guess how many) for protection, town fights with said cowboys leading the way. That the plot requires little more explanation then that highlights the focus of the movie, for better and for worse, however the fact it never feels shallow or superficial can be attributed to the exhilarating action and the ultra-cool cast. And what a fantastic cast it is. Denzel Washington is reliably charismatic as the contemplative leader, Chris Pratt is magnetic as the group's joker, Ethan Hawke is intense as the tormented sniper, Byung-hun Lee is enigmatic as the blade-wielding assassin, Vincent D'Onofrio is intriguing as the philosophical killer and Haley Bennett is fierce as the townswoman who stands her ground. Best of all, the eclectic characters – also including Manuel Garcia-Rulfo as the rowdy Mexican and Martin Sensmeier as the Indian warrior – share a wonderful chemistry that makes them utterly watchable from start to finish. An energetic remake with style to spare, The Magnificent Seven is a rip-roaring adventure that'll please long-neglected Western fans to no end.