As someone who has spent countless hours poring over historical documents and artifacts from the American frontier era, I wholeheartedly agree with Grauer’s assessment of The Magnificent Seven. Growing up, I was captivated by Western movies, but as I delved deeper into history, I realized that these films often glossed over or misrepresented the complexities and nuances of the time period.
As a passionate film enthusiast, I must admit that the legendary Denzel Washington has graced the Western genre only once in his remarkable acting journey – Antoine Fuqua’s 2016 take on The Magnificent Seven, a stellar reinterpretation of the 1960 classic starring Yul Brynner and Steve McQueen. Interestingly, both movies are based on Akira Kurosawa’s groundbreaking 1954 action masterpiece, Seven Samurai.
When transferring the tale from the Eastern culture to the Western world, it’s evident that Samurai films and Western movies have distinct differences, particularly in how accurately “The Magnificent Seven” portrays its cinematic elements, which were established along the American frontier. Remarkably, Denzel Washington’s captivating charm managed to overshadow the significant inaccuracies of the film, as pointed out by historian Michael Grauer through Business Insider, thereby minimizing the impact on the movie’s box office earnings and streaming popularity.
The Magnificent Seven Remakes a Remake
On the 23rd of September, 2016, I had the pleasure of being part of the team that brought “The Magnificent Seven” back to life. This modern American Western action film is a fresh take on the iconic 1960 movie, itself a remake of Akira Kurosawa’s timeless masterpiece, “Seven Samurai.
When the small western village of Rose Creek is besieged by a greedy industrialist named Bart Bogue (Peter Sarsgaard), the townsfolk seek the help of seven hardened gunslingers led by Chisholm. The gunners come from different backgrounds and include card trickster Josh Faraday (Chris Pratt), PTSD-ridden sharpshooter Goodnight Robicheaux (Ethan Hawke), pious mountaineer Jack Horne (Vincent D’Onofrio), blade-throwing assassin Billy Rocks (Lee Byung-hun), Mexican criminal Vasquez (Manuel Garica-Rulfo), and young Comanche warrior Red Harvest (Martin Sensmeier).
In spite of being a re-told tale on the silver screen multiple times before, The Magnificent Seven proved to be a financial triumph, generating $162 million in earnings against a production budget of only $90 million (according to Box Office Mojo). Although critics found fault with the script, the film emerged as another hit among audiences, with Denzel Washington taking center stage. The acting was universally applauded, the exhilarating action scenes were celebrated, and Fuqua’s fast-paced direction was lauded alongside the accolades. The Magnificent Seven represented their third collaboration, following Training Day and The Equalizer, for Denzel Washington and Director Fuqua.
The Magnificent Seven’s Inaccuracies, Explained
Despite receiving praise for its impressive cast and thrilling sequences, the plot of “The Magnificent Seven” fell short in the eyes of critics. However, it’s not just film critics who are critical of the movie’s historical inaccuracies. As Michael Grauer, a cowboy and Old West historian stated in Business Insider, the film, like many others, takes artistic liberties and dramatic license to enhance its storytelling effect. According to Grauer, “The Magnificent Seven” earns a grade of 4 out of 10 for historical accuracy.
In his critique, Grauer points out an inconsistency in “The Magnificent Seven” regarding Billy Rocks, the long-range knife thrower. Specifically, Grauer questions a scene where Billy manages to kill an adversary in a rapid draw by dodging a bullet and precisely hurling a knife. Grauer considers this scene implausible, as he delves into the historical context of Chinese immigrants in late 19th-century America and their presence on the frontier. Furthermore, Grauer argues that it’s unlikely such a conflict would have been resolved without fatalities or legal consequences.
Grauer continues:
Despite the claimed fairness of this remake of The Magnificent Seven, I find it intriguing that an Asian actor is portrayed as an assassin, seemingly perpetuating the stereotype that Asians are cunning. It’s unfortunate to note that in those times, there was a significant Asian population moving from the West Coast towards mining communities and even contributing to the construction of the Transcontinental Railway. However, they were often viewed as outsiders and, inevitably, deemed untrustworthy.
Grauer challenges the common trope found in The Magnificent Seven, where outsiders inspire townspeople to fight for themselves. He argues that this portrayal is far from historical accuracy, as such events likely did not occur in real life as frequently as they are depicted in movies like The Magnificent Seven.
It’s unusual for citizens to assemble, placing sandbags at balconies, fortifying towns extensively. Moreover, when considering the Old West’s equivalent to a machine gun like the Gatling Gun, its accuracy from 500 yards away – is that truly effective from such a distance? Let’s be realistic.
In his final evaluation, Grauer contends that the filmmakers prioritized action over historical authenticity, with an emphasis on “more firepower equals better.” Despite awarding The Magnificent Seven a 4/10 for accuracy, Grauer does acknowledge a scene accurately portraying a combat between two Comanche tribes. According to Grauber, there were around 13 to 15 distinct Comanche bands in the American West, implying that no single tribe was a uniform entity with identical beliefs and values. Consequently, a confrontation between members of the same tribe is not an anomaly.
Denzel Is Bulletproof Despite The Magnificent Seven’s Inaccuracies
Despite any historical discrepancies, the public’s reaction to The Magnificent Seven when it hit theaters in September 2016 was far from negative. Instead, audiences were captivated by the charismatic pairing of Denzel Washington and Chris Pratt, who led a brilliant ensemble cast, rather than scrutinizing the movie’s authenticity in depicting the American West. Denzel Washington’s gritty portrayal of Chisholm earned him nominations for the BET Award, Black Reel Award, and Jupiter Award.
In the meantime, “The Magnificent Seven” has earned an A- grade from CinemaScore, a 71% approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes, and a 6.9 IMDb score, demonstrating Denzel Washington’s unwavering appeal to audiences despite questions about historical accuracy. The film’s commercial success has further solidified the creative partnership between Washington and director Antoine Fuqua, who are currently collaborating on an as-yet-untitled sixth project – a war movie set in ancient Carthage centered around General Hannibal. It remains to be seen whether this upcoming film will present a more accurate portrayal of historical events compared to “The Magnificent Seven”.
The Magnificent Seven is available to stream on AppleTV+.
Read More
Sorry. No data so far.
2024-10-13 04:35