The Magnificent Seven Review: 5 Ups And 5 Downs

4. The Ensemble Interactions Are Spot On

The essential part of The Magnificent Seven is, well, the seven guys, and this is the film’s biggest strength. You have Denzel and Pratt playing their usual characters, Ethan Hawke as the war-addled sharpshooter, Vincent D’Onofrio the hulking brute, and then we’re rounded off with the quick-fire Mexican, brutal native American and knife-throwing Korean. Sure, most of the non-name actors are stereotypes, but it operates as a shorthand to get us right to the interaction.

And what interaction. The interplay between the ensemble, both on an individual level (everyone has a verbal sparring partner, and interacts one-on-one with the everyone else at one point or another) and as a group is spot on, showing a real sense of camaraderie that feels so natural and organic.

It’s the movie’s big selling point, and while other elements can be a little hit-and-miss, this one is pitched just right.