Magnificent Seven, The (12/20/2016)

Rated PG-13 for extended and intense sequences of Western violence, and for historical smoking, some language and suggestive material.

Starring Denzel Washington, Chris Pratt, Peter Sarsgaard, Ethan Hawke, Vincent D’Onofrio, Luke Grimes, Haley Bennett, Byung-Hun Lee, Manuel Garcia-Rulfo and Martin Sensmeier

Directed by Antoine Fuqua (Olympus Has Fallen, Training Day and Shooter)

This film was… magnificent.

With the town of Rose Creek under the deadly control of industrialist Bartholomew Bogue (Peter Sarsgaard), the desperate townspeople employ protection from seven outlaws, bounty hunters, gamblers and hired guns – Sam Chisolm (Denzel Washington), Josh Farraday (Chris Pratt), Goodnight Robicheaux (Ethan Hawke), Jack Horne (Vincent D’Onofrio), Billy Rocks (Byung-Hun Lee), Vasquez (Manuel Garcia-Rulfo), and Red Harvest (Martin Sensmeier). As they prepare the town for the violent showdown that they know is coming, these seven mercenaries find themselves fighting for more than money.

TODD’S WORD: There have been countless remakes and reboots lately and many of them have left me scratching my head asking “Why?” But I’m so glad they remade The Magnificent Seven.

JONATHAN’S WORD: So true. And we’ve seen spinoffs and spoofs like The Three Amigos. Even the A-Team used this plot almost every week! But it was nice to see it back as the original Western (even though the original- original was The Seven Samurai, 1954).

TODD’S WORD: I’m a huge fan of westerns. I love movies like Tombstone, 3:10 to Yuma and classics like The Good, the Bad and the Ugly.

JONATHAN’S WORD: Agree. But please don’t leave out Unforgiven and Open Range (two of the best). The Magnificent Seven really comes through. Although how could you not with a cast like this?

TODD’S WORD: Without a doubt, the cast is superb. I mean who doesn’t love Denzel Washington, Chris Pratt, Peter Sarsgaard, Ethan Hawke, Vincent D’Onofrio and others…in a western!! And they played their roles perfectly.

JONATHAN’S WORD: You could have had just Pratt, Sarsgaard or D’Onofrio and I would have liked this movie! But all of them? Amazing. They really made the characters likable. This film had almost a dozen likable characters in it! And some of them were hilarious!

TODD’S WORD: So true. I loved the humor in the film. There were so many great lines and looks that made the audience laugh…which was not an easy task, since we all know the impending doom that is coming.

JONATHAN’S WORD: Pratt was by far the funniest. He’s really becoming quite a box office draw. I can see why.

But the story, cinematography and the stunts are noteworthy as well. The film was beautifully shot and kept you on the edge of your seats. Some will find it too violent… but hey… it was the west.

TODD’S WORD: Oh for sure, this film is all about the action. And if you know anything about director Antoine Fuqua, you know the action is going to be brutal, intense and relentless…and it was. The shoot-outs and action sequences are intense and perfectly orchestrated.

JONATHAN’S WORD: It wasn’t too much for me. I wouldn’t bring an elementary school kid to the movie… but it would be fine for teens.

TODD’S WORD: I loved everything about the movie. It’s “Worth Buying” for me.

JONATHAN’S WORD: I’ll be buying this one as well.

SHOULD KIDS SEE IT?
There is no sex or nudity in this film but there is plenty of action. The “Seven” are all highly trained killers who specialize in diffident weapons. We see a lot of people die from gunshots and knife wounds. The language is on the mild side with a handful of S-words and other profanities (no F-words).

CONVERSATION STARTER:

1. What motivates The “Seven” to help the people in Rose Creek?


2. Have you ever been motivated to help those who were being bullied? What happened?

Read Psalm 82:4

Rescue the weak and the needy; deliver them from the hand of the wicked.


3. Who do you know that could be called weak and needy?


4. How can you “rescue” them this week?