‘Seven’ on target

“The Magnificent Seven” is an impressive remake of a 1960 Western movie of the same name.

Directed by Antoine Fuqua, with a surprising amount of big-name stars such as Denzel Washington and Chris Pratt, it’s the story of seven deadly gunmen coming out to help a poor town against the villain. However, if you’re looking for a magnificent story plot, this isn’t where you want to go. At times the story can be predictable, but it is saved by its bad-ass characters and old, shoot-em-up style of action. Not only that, but the acting really brings everything together well.

With the plot, the filmmakers managed to create many characters that made sense in the small time frame given. The story is your average good vs. evil, but portrayed in a way that is very enjoyable to watch. The story does a good, not phenomenal, job at making you hate the villain and want to see him lose. I personally wish they made the villain seem more powerful than he was, but that’s the most I can give away without spoiling the movie.

Some of the best triumphs of the movie are definitely the action scenes. They are intense, with explosions and satisfying gun fights. The cinematography is excellent at making you feel you are right there in the action, bullets constantly whizzing by, and with realistic impacts, as well. If this movie could be rated on its action alone it would be an overwhelming 5/5. The top-notch acting also plays a big factor in that.

At one point in the film, a scene with Washington is so well put together, it gave me goosebumps. He and all the other actors play their parts fantastically and add their own personalities to the characters. Pratt and others definitely give the film a lot of jokes that work well and had the audience laughing as I watched.

On the down side, the music, even though good and fitting for the film, was disappointingly not very memorable. At times the effects took out the immersion effect, with one bad green screen and a few obvious CGI props. However, all the other aspects of the movie –the acting, action, and the cinematography, makes this a great film.

I give “Seven” a solid 4.5/5. It is definitely a must-watch, even if not seen in a theater. The good aspects in the movie definitely outweigh the negative. Again, it’s a must-watch if you are a fan of action and well-choreographed fights.

Advocate Staff