The
Magnificent Seven
(2016 remake/MGM/Sony 4K Blu-ray w/Blu-ray Set)
4K
Ultra HD Picture: A- 1080p Picture:
B+ Sound: A-/B+ Extras: B Film: C+
Director
Antoine Fuqua's 2016 remake of the classic western The
Magnificent Seven
(which was itself a remake of Akira Kurosawa's The
Seven Samurai)
lands on 4K Blu-ray and Blu-ray disc in grand fashion with a gorgeous
home presentation that's spot on. The film itself is what I like to
call a 'typical western' in that it follows all of the story beats
that it should and all of the trademark cliques that you would expect
to see in a film of this nature: saloons, shootouts, plenty of horse
chases, and killing. While not as good as the original (which should
go without saying) there are some moments that Western fans will
enjoy.
Starring
Denzel Washington and Chris Pratt as the leads - the film also
features Chris Pratt, Haley Bennett, Vincent D'Onofrio, Peter
Sarsgaard, Vinnie Jones, and Lee Byung-hun. To me, the most notable
cast member, however, is the late composer James Horner (Avatar,
Titanic)
- who partially scored the film before his unfortunate death.
Back
in the days of the Old West, a small town named Rose Creek is
overtaken by a vicious criminal (Sarsgaard) who threatens the
townspeople and burns their church to ashes. It's up to seven
unlikely heroes (Washington, Pratt, Hawke, Jones, Byung-hun,
D'Onofrio, Bennett) who are all expert gunmen) to form an alliance
and take down the threat, giving the people back the land that they
rightfully deserve. While the odds aren't necessarily in their
favor, their passion for justice ignites and helps the townspeople
get revenge.
I
remember a few years ago when it was almost incomprehensible that a
format could look better than Blu-ray and now we have 4K high
definition. The color and detail is jaw dropping and so
photorealistic you feel like you are in the west with the characters.
This release really looks great, as shot on 35mm film, with vivid
2160p HEVC/H.265, HDR (10; Ultra HD Premium)-enhanced Ultra High
Definition image and a widescreen aspect ratio of 2.39:1 that will be
sure to impress anyone that steps foot in your home. Much of the
film is during the day and captures the highlights of the old west
pretty well. The sound mix is equally as impressive with a Dolby
Atmos 11.1 track that captures the film's wide range of sound design,
specifically during action sequences.
The
Blu-ray still looks great in 1080p with a 2.39:1 widescreen aspect
ratio and a DTS-HD MA (Master Audio) lossless 7.1 track that sounds
pretty great as well for a mixdown, though the Dolby Atmos or even
DTS: X 11.1 mixes could have fit here. Also on the disc are various
5.1 language tracks and a Digital
Copy for your tablet or smartphone.
Special
Features include...
Vengeance
Mode: Director Antoine Fuqua and cast break down key scenes and
discuss the making of the film
Deleted
Scenes
Six
Featurettes: Gunslingers,
The Taking of Rose Creek, Magnificent Music, Directing the Seven, The
Seven, Rogue Bogue
While
not the best Western by any stretch, this popcorn muncher is nothing
new but not necessarily terrible either.
For
more on the original film, try our coverage of the Blu-ray...
http://www.fulvuedrive-in.com/review/11172/A+Fistful+Of+Dollars/For+A+Few+Dollars+More
You
can also read about the short-lived TV series on DVD here...
http://www.fulvuedrive-in.com/review/5512/The+Magnificent+Seven+%E2%80%93+Season+Tw
-
James Lockhart
https://www.facebook.com/jamesharlandlockhartv/
