Four stars. Rated PG-13, and somewhat generously, for relentless violence and dramatic intensity
By Derrick Bang • Originally published in The Davis Enterprise, 9.23.16
This premise has been bulletproof
ever since Akira Kurosawa introduced it, back in 1954.
It’s not merely a great set-up for
an action epic; it also plays to our idealistic belief that everybody — no
matter how bad their behavior — yearns for an opportunity to become heroic in
the eyes of people not familiar with their past deeds. A chance at redemption,
and generous self-sacrifice.
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| Having determined to transform a community of farmers and townsfolk into a defensive army of sorts, the "Seven" grimly assess their recruits. From left, Jack Horne (Vincent D'Onofrio), Red Harvest (Martin Sensmeier), Vasquez (Manuel Garcia-Rulfo), Goodnight Robicheaux (Ethan Hawke), Sam Chisolm (Denzel Washington), Josh Faraday (Chris Pratt) and Billy Rocks (Byung-hun Lee). |
Can’t miss.
Nor does it, in director Antoine
Fuqua’s muscular remake of 1960’s American adaptation of Kurosawa’s classic Seven Samurai. With Denzel Washington
top-lining a cast of scene-stealers every bit as engaging as the characters
they play, and some narrative tweaks that make their shot at moral salvation
virtually impossible — or is it? — this new Magnificent
Seven delivers on the promise of the adjective in its title.
That said — and acknowledging the
narrative adjustments made by scripters Nic Pizzolatto and Richard Wenk, in keeping with 21st century
sensibilities — all concerned should be ashamed of themselves, for failing to better
acknowledge the core story concept by Kurosawa, Shinobu Hashimoto and Hideo
Oguni. Pizzolatto and Wenk didn’t concoct this concept out of thin air, and
it’s annoying to see them claim sole screen credit during the opening titles,
as if the entire inspiration were theirs, and theirs alone.
Humph.
(But I digress...)
The story begins in the tiny
post-Civil War community of Rose Creek — a truly stunning set built by
production designer Derek Hill and his crew — where the townsfolk have been
invaded by ruthless carpetbagger Bartholomew Brogue (Peter Sarsgaard), who has
established a destructive gold-mining operation only a few hundred yards from the
local church.
Brogue and his hired thugs have
made life unbearable, but that isn’t sufficient; he has decided to destroy the
community in order to expand his mining efforts ... and he couldn’t care less
that this means driving hard-working farmers off their properties. In a prologue
that sets new standards for heinous behavior, Brogue and his men hijack a town
meeting and make their point brutally clear.
Do we loathe Brogue, in the space
of a few swift minutes? Oh my, yes; rarely will you find a villain played with
such callous élan. Sarsgaard is coldly, chillingly vile: a truly memorable
performance.
