The Magnificent Seven (Quite Long) Review.

So It finally happened, I got to go and see one my most highly anticipated movies EVER! And that gem, if you haven’t been spoiled by the title is, The Magnificent Seven! Yes, after months of waiting and waiting for this movie and religiously watching small clips and gifs to satisfy my taste. Only to then be completely broke upon its first day release; I finally got handed a ticket and took my seat in screen 10 at my local odeon.

Now, when you wait for a film for so long, you build up your own little mini version if it in your mind and give it that new title: High Expectations and we all know how this can make or break a movie for you. So, Sonni, so our Velvet, did it make or break for you? I know you’re asking. Well let me you tell you; it hit my extremely high expectations right on the head. It was everything I assumed, but in the best of ways. It may have taken out the element of surprise from the narrative for me, but that just made me appreciate what I was seeing visually and surprised me with beauty and violence.

Hats off to the director of the remake western; Antoine Fuqua, you are truly transported back to this sandy decade and you feel no disrespect to the genre or the image of a cowboy. This movie definitely stays true to where it’s based from accent to outfit, guns to whiskey, you cannot deny this movie or call it a misfit, it is a perfectly behaved child of the west.

Of course, how visually beautiful this movie is not everything, the movie is based on seven magnificent beings and were they magnificent? Surprise, surprise, my answer is BLOODY YES THEY WERE. I must admit, my adoration of the acting purely lays to the seven cowboys, I struggled to be attached or even sympathise some of the other characters. I did hate the protagonist that is Bogue played by Peter Sarsgaard, which I was supposed to do, however as much as I was anticipating good defeating evil, I was more worried about the earlier mentioned seven, thinking about when they were coming or how they were going to fight. Again, as much as I wanted Bogue dead, I was far too in love with the heroic lads and would of let Bogue get on with it if it took away any risk of the boys being hurt.

So yes, sorry I’ll get on with it! If for some reason, somehow, you have not seen anything to do with this movie then….oooooookay. The movie stars Denzel Washington, Chris Pratt, Ethan Hawke, Lee Byung-Hun, Vincent D’Onofrio, Manuel Garcia-Rulfo and Martin Sensmeier as the seven. All different types of people, of different races, different priorities and ways, who all sort of have a bond over guns, money, a little laughter and survival. All of them did amazing jobs, each encompassing the role fully. I worried a little with Chris Pratt, nothing to do with thinking he would do a bad job, but more because I was worried that the humour his character would have in this movie is the same cheeky sarcastic humour that he has had in every movie he has done since Guardians of the Galaxy (2014). Honestly, it very almost was, but he took something we are so familiar with and turned it into this character’s version and I successfully saw him as Faraday and never once thought of Star Lord. To be honest, although Washington’s character was the head of the horse, I saw Pratt as the crown by the end of the movie, as Faraday took heroism as far as he could and I’ll be honest I shed a tear with happiness and...over emotions that invoke no spoilers whatsoever.

I also have to take a moment to praise a man who has inspired me from a young age and that is Ethan Hawke, this was one of the main reasons I HAD to see this movie, I have been watching his movies and reading his books for years and was very excited to have an opportunity to watch him on the big screen. His portrayal was amazing, I liked that I was surprised by the PTSD this character had, this form of paranoia, with his character Goodnight being a legend and wise and a little cocky, you are taken off guard when his dynamic changes to one that shows a weakness in him. Again, I did love Ethan’s singular performance but I do not think his character would have been as successful if it was not for his relationship with knife handy man Billy played by Lee Byung-Hun. It starts off with you assuming Goodnight maybe has something over Billy, then you see them as friends and then it switches to Billy being above Goodnight, caring for him, keeping him on his toes, Billy is almost a small pebble of reality for Goodnight to hold on to.

I have rambled far more than I usually do in a review, but hey ho! I absolutely loved this movie and I can honestly say I was thrilled more than once and left the cinema with an unleaving smile across my face. Oh and a few wet patches from the odd tear or 10. I had a sort of similar feeling that I got with Lawless (2012) when I saw that, but there’s a little more fun in The Magnificent Seven and definitely a lot less blood! It’s a beautiful connection of friendship between men, hands between guns and quiet simply, a western.

I would completely recommend this movie, be you a western fan or a fan of any of the actors involved. I would suggest seeing it on the big screen to truly be drowned in the thrill and gasp from the scenes of violence and war. I can not guarantee if you will like this movie or not, I am not you, but I can confidently guarantee that it will make you smile and laugh.

VF.