Denzel and The Bunch Shine in "The Magnificent Seven"; Which is Too Much Fun To Miss

   This weekend marks the opening of yet again, another remake. A remake of a remake actually. Director Antoine Fuqua teams up with Denzel Washington once again in the action-packed, and highly entertaining western that will hopefully help turn the abysmal box office around. The Magnificent Seven, the Avengers of westerns, brings a lot of great talent to the table, with essentially the same story, but executed in a way that is fun, engaging, intense, beautiful, and all-around just a joy to behold at the movies. I really dig westerns, and like in any genre, there are great ones, bad ones, fun ones and unnecessary ones. The Magnificent Seven isn't the best western ever made, but it is definitely one of the most fun experiences I've had with a western in a long time.

   In a nutshell, the greasy, slim-bucket of an industrialist Bartholomew Bogue (played brilliantly by Peter Sarsgaard), firmly grips the little mining town of Rose Creek in his no-good hands, spreading fear and death to all who oppose him. The townspeople reach out for help and employ seven men to aid in their protection. At the head of this bunch is Mr. Chisom (Denzel Washington), a peace officer/bounty hunter who is approached by a newly-made widow (thanks to the graces of Bogue) who convinces him to help in their cause. Thus begins the recruitment phase. Through past acquaintances and happenstance, Chisom adds six men to his posse: gambler Josh Faraday (Chris Pratt), sharp-shooter Goodnight Robicheaux (Ethan Hawke), assassin Billy Rocks (Byung-hun Lee), the outlaw Vasquez (Manuel Garcia-Rulfo), tracker Jack Horne (Vincent D'Onofrio), and Comanche warrior Red Harvest (Martin Sensmeier). Together they help unify the town and train them in order to battle the forces of Bogue in defense of the town.

   The group itself is the highlight of the movie. Rightfully so, wouldn't you say? This is the third movie in which Denzel Washington has worked with director Antoine Fuqua and I'm sure it won't be the last. This is also the first time that Ethan Hawke and Washington have worked together since Training Day (also directed by Fuqua), and it was really cool to see them interact and share some really cool scenes together. The chemistry across the board between these men works on every level. Chris Pratt plays Chris Pratt and it works. His levity bounces off the others nicely. Each character is given ample moments to shine, but I gotta say the one that stole the movie for me was Vincent D'Onofrio. That guy, sheesh. He's one of those rare actors that really loses himself in his roles, really stretching himself in order to reach some new creative plateau. His work in Men in Black and Daredevil on Netflix immediately comes to mind. He's fantastic in this movie. From the way he crafts his character to his overall execution...I want to see a movie solely about that guy.

  This movie has so much action. I think it reaches the most amount of violence one can get away with in a PG-13 film, and none of it is wasted. Fuqua has an eye for smart action, using the frame to capture moments that are visually interesting. Amidst the insane amount of gunfire, there's a well-crafted story that holds everything together. Fuqua has proven that he can maintain the integrity of a story without compromising it for visual garbage. He knows how to get good performances from his actors, which all in this movie deliver. There are moments in this movie that are visually beautiful; capturing the majesty of a setting sun in the foreground of horsemen riding across the plains. I was really surprised actually how stunning this movie looks at times. I was expecting a cookie-cutter western, and I got a much more visually-stimulating experience.

   If you're a fan of westerns, this movie shouldn't be missed. I'm almost positive this movie will take the number one spot in the box office this weekend, and it should. It's really good. It's also just a blast to experience. I had a lot of fun watching this movie. It's funny, thrilling, and well-worth checking out.