I’ve enjoyed most interpretations of The Seven Samurai I’ve come across, but there’s a special place in my heart for the 1960 film with it’s iconic score by Elmer Bernstein. So, when I heard back in 2016 that there was yet another iteration coming I wasn’t quite ready to jump in and see how this version played out, especially as it was a remake of the 1960 version instead of telling a variation of it.

Still, I quite like Fuqua’s work, and I’ve enjoyed his collaborations with Denzel Washington. So, I figured why not?

It’s a fun cast, Ethan Hawke pairs up with Washington and Fuqua again. They are joined by Haley Bennett, who plays Emma, who comes to recruit Chisolm (Washington) and any others that will help defend their town from the robber-baron, Bartholomew Bogue (Peter Sarsgaard).

Hawk is Goodnight Robicheaux a rifle marksman who has a past that haunts him, who is accompanied by the knife-wielding Billy Rocks (Lee Byung-hun) . Jack Horne (Vincent D’Onofrio) is a big bear of a hunter with a Christian streak. A Mexican gunfighter, Vasquez (Manuel Garcia-Rulfo) and an dangerous indigenous archer, Red Harvest (Martin Sensmeier) also join up.

And then there’s Chris Pratt, playing another version of Chris Pratt, the one that he’s made his on-screen image. Smarmy, funny, and good at what he does. Pratt is Faraday. And you know exactly what you’re going to get from his performance.

It’s a fun film, with some well-crafted action beats and stunts, and Washington seems to having a great time as the leader and displaying his quick-draw skills. Each of the seven is given a small character arc to carry them through the film, and some of the actors are able to do more with it than others, but overall, it’s a solid western, even if it didn’t necessarily revitalize or reimagine the genre.

I do like that we see a little more diversity in the casting, which in turns offers some more story opportunities. There’s one story choice that I didn’t like, and that is making a past history between Chisolm and Bogue. It gives Chisolm motivation beyond doing the right thing.

And sure, they trot out the iconic theme to close the credits, but it has no emotional payoff as they don’t use enough of it in the film itself to generate a connection. It’s only there as a nod to the classic because it’s expected. There are pieces and moments woven into the score, but not enough to make it payoff. And that’s too bad, because that theme is amazing!

Perhaps what we need is maybe a ten to twelve episode season, expanding the story, giving us background episode on each of the characters, invest us, which then, would make their sacrifice at the end of the story that much more powerful.

Fuqua’s iteration of the classic tale is solid, if unneeded, but perhaps I’ll stick with Seven Samurai, the 1960 film, or maybe The Three Amigos!