The Magnificent Seven
2014
***
Director: Antoine Fuqua
Cast: Denzel Washington, Chris Pratt, Ethan Hawke, Vincent D'Onofrio, Byung-hun Lee, Manuel Garcia-Rulfo, Martin Sensmeier, Peter Sarsgaard, Haley Bennett
When a ruthless gold mining tycoon attempts to seize control of Rose Creek and its inhabitants, the townsfolk hire a group of gunmen to protect the town. This remake of the 1960 Western, which itself was a remake of Akira Kurosawa's Seven Samurai (1954) puts a 21st century twist on the old story. That is, the group of seven are now a diverse group of men in terms of age, race, and ethnicity. The resulting Western is predictable and unspectacular, but it builds towards a long and entertaining climactic shootout.
