Magnificent 7 (remake)

[huttj509]

Felt it was a solid movie. The original and Seven Samurai have been bumped up my "I should see those sometime" list to compare.

I've...never actually seen either of the older ones, they've kinda perpetually been on my "to watch" list. Decided to watch the newest first so I'll be mentally comparing the classics to *it* instead of comparing it to the classics when watching.

[Tvtyrant]

I thought it was pretty good. I really liked the death scenes, but I felt that having survivors actually detracted from the story here.

[Razade]

I thought it was pretty good. I really liked the death scenes, but I felt that having survivors actually detracted from the story here.

Except...three people survived in the Magnificent Seven and Seven Samurai. So...how does that detract from the story when it's just an adaption and stayed true to the adaption? The three people who survive are central to the entire film's point. If all of them died it'd detract from the actual message of the story.

As far as the movie went, saw it. Loved it. Is it better than Seven Samurai? No. Is it better than the original Magnificent Seven...I honestly liked this one better just because it updated the acting and effects.

[Clertar]

So this film is this year's one remake that was justified? I'll check it out, I guess.

[Pex]

I know I saw Seven Samurai, but I don't remember much of it. I do remember some the original Magnificent Seven. There are differences in the remake, and I like them except one.

The one change I didn't like in the remake is that they were too quick for my taste in gathering the Seven starting with The Third. The original allowed for more screen time of each to get to know them. In the remake it was Hi, you want to join? Yes. Great.

In the original the Seventh was not invited to join but tagged along anyway keeping his distance. It was alluded he was incompetent being the comic relief, but in the climactic battle he really was magnificent. In the remake he's a competent happenstance allowing for parley. Fine with me.

In the original the townspeople betray the Seven who defend them anyway. Remake, no betrayal. Good.

[huttj509]

I know I saw Seven Samurai, but I don't remember much of it. I do remember some the original Magnificent Seven. There are differences in the remake, and I like them except one.

The one change I didn't like in the remake is that they were too quick for my taste in gathering the Seven starting with The Third. The original allowed for more screen time of each to get to know them. In the remake it was Hi, you want to join? Yes. Great.


On your one dislike...hmmm, not having seen the original...

I'm not sure when the time could have come from (runtimes are about the same between this one and the 1960s one). I do think it's a plus for the new movie that nothing leapt out at me as "yeah, they could really have stood to take some time from X and give us more of character Y

Let's see... (using descriptions since I don't recall many names)

The Bounty Hunter: I liked how his story was sprinkled through. The look on his face when he heard Bart's name spoke volumes, as did Goodnight's "you sure you doing this for the present, not the past?" He felt well developed.

The magician: His joining definitely didn't feel rushed. I liked how his sleight of hand throughout made the end feel obvious, but not annoyingly so. It felt fittingly obvious, like the character had planned the trick instead of the script just writing it in.

Goodnight: He joined up a bit quick, but in context he already knew the bounty hunter, and they had a "yeah, I got your back" sort of thing. I felt his personality came through readily, both in his introduction, and his reactions through the movie (I love when a character's badassitude is established well by other characters' reactions. Goodnight didn't need to show us he was a badass, the reaction of the gambler showed that well enough. "I'm sorry sir I didn't know that was you."

The mysterious man from the orient: Came along with Goodnight, so as Goodnight joined quickly, as did the knife guy. Bit underdeveloped, but not annoyingly so.

The Mexican: His joining did feel rushed. In addition, I didn't quite get why Bounty Hunter thought he'd make a good addition. I mean, he *did,* but it didn't feel like there was any history other than "hey, I got a bounty on this guy, he might be good in a fight." No reason to trust him.

The Outdoorsman: I really liked him. Introduced, invited, declines, then apparently decides to tag along, both showing his observational skills, and his tracking skills, despite him seeming just comic relieffy at first.

The Comanche: This one did feel a bit rushed, but it worked, ya know?


Anyway, I don't disagree, I'm just not sure where the time could easily have come from.

[Starbuck_II]

Well, I was sad about the false save:

Usually, when they store a item (like the drink thing) in their pocket it protects him in stories, but they show it fell out.
Orient guy could have lived, but I guess they didn't want him to sadly.

[Kyberwulf]

I don't know if I would say this remake was justified. It was good, though.

About the speeding up of the gathering of individuals was a bad thing. I think this is one of the things that is wrong with audiences today. All the characters backstories have to be spoon fed to them. I think the introductions where okay, and reveling the characters motivations throughout the movie was handled well. When you get done watching this movie, what makes it good. Is being able to look back on it and put the pieces together.

About the Mexican joining. I think what happen was, Sam(Denziel) was going to the cabin to talk to the guy who turned out to be dead. I think he realized it was Vasquez that killed him. I was never quite sure about his reasons for joining.

[Cikomyr]

I don't get why a remake should be "justified".

Can it be a genuinely good movie? Can you do more than just rehashing the exact same thing as the original?

If yes, then go for it and make a good movie. Which this movie totally is.

I loved that they extracted the romantic plot tumor of the originalS (yes. Both Samurai and Magnificient) and then decided to shoot it in the head.

The cast was varied, interesting and offered good chemistry on screen. The movie knew when to move quickly, and when to take its time.

The music was great, a mix of classic western throwback and new composition.

[Pex]

I don't know if I would say this remake was justified. It was good, though.

About the speeding up of the gathering of individuals was a bad thing. I think this is one of the things that is wrong with audiences today. All the characters backstories have to be spoon fed to them. I think the introductions where okay, and reveling the characters motivations throughout the movie was handled well. When you get done watching this movie, what makes it good. Is being able to look back on it and put the pieces together.

About the Mexican joining. I think what happen was, Sam(Denziel) was going to the cabin to talk to the guy who turned out to be dead. I think he realized it was Vasquez that killed him. I was never quite sure about his reasons for joining.

I think it's important to know why they were Magnificent and not just because Chisolm said so. We were shown Chisolm and Farraday being badass. Billy Rocks too, admittedly. Not much of the others. Jack Horne was a nice attempt, but the incompetence of the Pigeon Brothers was obvious from the beginning it was too formulaic.

[Clertar]

I don't get why a remake should be "justified".

Can it be a genuinely good movie? Can you do more than just rehashing the exact same thing as the original?

If yes, then go for it and make a good movie.

You're answering yourself, you're just spelling out what it means for a remake to be justified.

[huttj509]

I think it's important to know why they were Magnificent and not just because Chisolm said so. We were shown Chisolm and Farraday being badass. Billy Rocks too, admittedly. Not much of the others. Jack Horne was a nice attempt, but the incompetence of the Pigeon Brothers was obvious from the beginning it was too formulaic.

I felt Horne's strength was less the fighting, and more that he was following them while they had no clue, and also that he knew someone was approaching their camp well before everyone else did.

He was a trapper. A tracker. A hunter.

[lt_murgen]

I've seen both, and I have to say I disliked this one intensely.

Both Samurai and original 7 did an excellent job explaining why professional killers would ALL want to take on a hopeless cause for no money. The remake manufactured reasons so it made sense. It took away the overall theme.

[norival1992]

I honestly can't think of a major motion picture with a Native American main character who was actually played by a genuine Native American.

[Murk]

I honestly can't think of a major motion picture with a Native American main character who was actually played by a genuine Native American.

Free Willy!

Alright, my definition of "major" might be a bit off.

[An Enemy Spy]

Flags of Our Fathers and Windtalkers spring to mind. Probably just about any modern Western as well. Unfortunately the heyday of the Western genre was back in the days when slapping red makeup on a white guy and having them speak gibberish was standard practice for Native American characters. That and having actual Native Americans and having them have fun insult everyone around them because they know nobody involved in the movie is going to bother translating them.

[Clertar]

Both The Last of the Mohicans and Dances with Wolves have native american actors playing native american characters:

[Kyberwulf]

The Lone Ranger. Johnny Depp is a real native american now.

[Cikomyr]

The Lone Ranger. Johnny Depp is a real native american now.

https://grist.files.wordpress.com/2011/10/cryingindian-simpsons-carousel.jpg

[Velaryon]

I don't know if I would say this remake was justified. It was good, though.

As others have more or less said, being good is pretty much all the justification it needs.

I enjoyed this. Denzel Washington is usually good, Chris Pratt is Chris Pratt (which is fine as long as he's in a role where you want him to be Chris Pratt), Ethan Hawke was good, Lee Byung-hun was good, Vincent D'onofrio was... not as bad as usual, and the other two whose names I don't know were good.

I enjoyed Lee Byung-hun quite a lot in The Good The Bad The Weird, so seeing him in a major Hollywood film, and a western as well, was a real treat. I wish he'd been given more development, but this isn't that sort of movie I guess.

I normally cannot stand Vincent D'onofrio. I hated him in whichever Law & Order he was in, and found him to be the weak point of Daredevil, but in this he wasn't bad. I still smiled a bit when his character was killed though. Sue me. :smalltongue:

I still think Seven Samurai is the best version of this story, but the new Magnificent 7 was enjoyable.

[Kyberwulf]

There is a difference between Justified, and needing justification.

[Anonymouswizard]

Well I haven't seen Original 7, but I've seen 7 Samurai and it sounds like it's worth chr out.

I'm am worried though as the gathering of the 7 was my favourite part of the film. I felt like I knew who the characters were from their introductory scene, eve though most Archetypes weren't overly familiar, and the film still hid reveals for later on.

Although I'm still waiting for someone to make 'Those Magnificent Seven Samurai in their Flying Machines'.

[Rogar Demonblud]

I honestly can't think of a major motion picture with a Native American main character who was actually played by a genuine Native American.

Outlaw Josey Wales had two, Chief Dan George and I forget the woman's name.

Pathfinder, with Moon Bloodgood.

And you owe it to yourself to check out Cheyenne Autumn. Granted the actors are Navajo rather than Cheyenne, but they spend a lot of time making rude comments about the director in their native tongue. Which I approve of.

[GloatingSwine]

Although I'm still waiting for someone to make 'Those Magnificent Seven Samurai in their Flying Machines'.

Battle Beyond the Stars?

With Robert Mitchum playing the same character he did in Magnificent Seven.

And no budget.

(It's fun in a cheesy way though)

[JoshL]

Depending on how far your definition of "major" I'd recommend Dead Man, with Gary Farmer (who is Cayuga) playing opposite Johnny Depp. One of my favorites!

[Lethologica]

Although I'm still waiting for someone to make 'Those Magnificent Seven Samurai in their Flying Machines'.
Samurai 7 (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Samurai_7)? About as close as you're going to get without actually producing the movie yourself.

[Velaryon]

Samurai 7 (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Samurai_7)? About as close as you're going to get without actually producing the movie yourself.

Beat me to it.