The Magnificent 7 (2016)

"I do believe that bear is wearing people clothing." -Jack Faraday -referring to  Jack Horne

Another remake.  (meta- in this case, because this is a remake of a re-imagining.)

Due to that the original and the homage on which this film were based were fantastic, first and foremost, I would say that this version is not as ground breaking or impactful as its predecessors.  Copies lose efficacy with each cycle. However, I really am pleased to say that The Magnificent 7 (2016) is a first rate production worthy of one's time and consideration.

So here's just a list of things I noticed or thought during the movie.

1. I much prefer Eli Wallach to Peter Sarsgaard.  Wallach made evil more understandable as a grasp at control in a changing world, while Sarsgaard's evil is just pure theater. Murder and violence as a means to power.

2. You would have thought Denzel Washington would have stolen the show, but he actually takes a surprising fifth in my power ranking of actor performances.

1. Vincent D'Onofrio
1. His high pitch squeaks about the LOARD are just magical.  He is the heir to Toshiro Mifune and Chico.
2. Chris Pratt
1. Great death! Great opening scene. Perfect 1 liners playing a combination of Harry Luck and Vin from the 1960 version.
3. Ethan Hawke
1. I don't know if I have ever seen him in a bad role, but his performance as Good Night Robicheaux was really a much better story than that of Lee. (and I liked Robert Vaughn in the the 1960 version.)  Redemption takes many forms. 
4. Lee Byung-hun
1. Someone needed to take on the mantle of Charles Bronson, James Corburn, and Seiji Miyaguchi.  Those were huge shoes to fill and you were up to the challenge. I look forward to your next project. 
5. Denzel Washington
1. You were never going to be Yul Brenner. You didn't even try.  I respect you for that. But, amongst this ensemble your choices did not shine. 

3. I wonder if the addition of the rail gun was something the writers added to just infuse the story with a little more senseless violence.  We modern cinema watchers are so desensitized to mindless destruction that it seemed strange to only use single shot guns. Hmmmmmmm? 

On a scale of 7 Samurai to 7 Gunslingers, I give The Magnificent 7 (2016) 3.8 out of 5 stars.