If you want two-plus hours of total enjoyment, this is your movie. A contemporary remake of a famous 1960’s film, it is the classic good vs. evil shoot-’em-up with stunning scenery. It’s not revolutionary in any cinematic way, but it will remind you of all that was so appealing about Westerns. The good guys, seven misfits, are gathered together by bounty hunter Sam Chisolm (Denzel Washington), who decides to help a desperate homesteader after her small California settlement has been terrorized by a ruthless mining magnate (Peter Sarsgaard). The motley crew includes Chris Pratt, Ethan Hawke and Vincent D’Onofrio. The spunky citizen-activist is the lovely Haley Bennett. Not much goes on besides gunfights and bromance, but this film is the purest form of entertainment: no challenging ethical or moral issues to tackle here. You just root for the good guys, despise the bad ones and clap wildly when justice carries the day.
Should You See It? Yes!
Viewed at Wehrenberg Ronnie’s 20 Cine