The Star-Studded Western Classic Remake That No One Even Remembers
These days, remakes and reboots are so rampant in Hollywood that it can seem like the entire industry has run out of fresh ideas. One remake that completely missed the mark, despite its star-studded cast and talented director, was 2016’s The Magnificent Seven. The Magnificent Seven remake has been so forgotten, in fact, that the film isn’t even available on any major streaming platform, despite the original 1960 version being accessible on nearly half a dozen outlets.
Remake Of A Remake
2016’s The Magnificent Seven is a remake of a classic 1960 Western that has stood the test of time and gone down in history as one of the greatest entrants into the genre. The original version was an Americanized remake of the spectacular Akira Kurosawa film Seven Samurai, which continues to be studied in film schools worldwide to this day. The 2016 iteration was a mild financial success and received mixed reviews, never coming close to the prestige of either of the originals.
Incredible Talent In Front Of And Behind The Camera
The Magnificent Seven remake was written by True Detective creator Nic Pizzolatto in partnership with The Equalizer scribe Richard Wenk. The film was directed by Antoine Fuqua, who was best known for helming such projects as Training Day, Olympus Has Fallen, and The Equalizer trilogy. It is clear that tons of talented individuals were involved in every step of the process while creating The Magnificent Seven remake, making it truly shocking that the completed film is so utterly forgettable.
Jaw-Dropping Ensemble
If you thought there were some stellar names behind the camera, buckle up for this cast list, as The Magnificent Seven remake touts an ensemble that includes Denzel Washington, Chris Pratt, Vincent D’Onofrio, Ethan Hawke, Peter Sarsgaard, Lee Byung-hun, and Martin Sensmeier. Given that there was so much talent put into the film, many fans lament that this team didn’t link up for an original work rather than a remake, which was all but doomed to live in the shadow of its predecessor.
A Classic Underdog Tale
Like the original film, The Magnificent Seven remake centers on a group of rag-tag mercenaries hired to protect a small town from the encroaching forces of a highly corrupt, wealthy mine owner. When the owner ransacked the small town of Rose Creek and demanded that the townsfolk produce cheap labor in his mine, a woman named Emma sets out on a mission to recruit rough and rugged cowboys to aid her fellow citizens.
So Middling It’s Not Even Streaming
REVIEW SCORE
The Magnificent Seven remake grossed $162 million at the worldwide box office against an estimated production budget of only $90 million, so at least it wasn’t a total failure. Still, the film has completely failed to leave any mark on audiences whatsoever and carries a middling 64 percent critic score on the review aggregate site Rotten Tomatoes. Critics specifically reference the ensemble cast and some performances as highlights, while the script serves as a dated rehash of existing works.
Despite its flaws, The Magnificent Seven remake is a passable film and fittingly deserves a middle-of-the-road 2.5 out of 5-star rating.
