海角大神

The characters of 鈥淭he Magnificent Seven鈥� haven鈥檛 been able to win over critics, as reviewers have criticized the familiarity of the movie and its attempts to appeal to everyone ahead of the film鈥檚 Sept. 23 release, although some critics were impressed with the performances of stars Denzel Washington and Chris Pratt.聽

鈥淢agnificent,鈥� which stars Mr. Washington, Mr. Pratt, and Ethan Hawke, and is a remake of the 1960 film of the same name (which was inspired by the 1954 film 鈥淪even Samurai鈥�), tells the story of a group of men who are asked to help those in the town of Rose Creek, an area being threatened by businessman Bartholomew Bogue (Peter Sarsgaard).

The movie is directed by Antoine Fuqua of 鈥淭raining Day鈥� and 鈥淪outhpaw.鈥澛�

The film has been poorly received by reviewers. , however,聽was more impressed than some others, writing that the film 鈥渋sn't aiming for cinema immortality鈥� but that Washington 鈥渉as a wicked blast in the role 鈥� especially when mixing it up with Pratt.鈥澛�

Some observers had hoped that the cast's diversity was aiming for a social message, as well聽鈥� an expectation fed, in part, by Mr. Fuqua, who last week told the Guardian that lack of diversity in Hollywood is "a problem."

"," the director told film critic Ryan Gilbey. "And here鈥檚 the beauty part: MGM and Sony backed it. No one said: 'A black man? A Native American?'"

But for some reviewers, the social side of "Magnificent" doesn't deliver. Mr. Travers notes that 鈥渋t's disappointing that the color-blind casting is more surface gimmick than emotional depth charge, and that there is no attempt to ground the story in historical fact. But the actors give it their all. And it's a kick to see diversity out there riding into a new kind of future.鈥澛�

But called the film 鈥渉ollow鈥� and wrote that it suffers by trying to appeal to too many viewers. 鈥淭his movie鈥檚 all over the place, trying too hard to be all Westerns to all sensibilities,鈥� he writes.聽

And writes that the idea of the movie has been redone in too many films by now. 鈥淎ction heroes in big-group form are legion,鈥� he writes, referencing superhero movie team-ups and heist movie groups.

Mr. Gleiberman was also impressed with Washington and Pratt, writing, 鈥淚f Washington is the film鈥檚 sly center of gravity, Chris Pratt 鈥� has its most combustible star quality.鈥� Still, writes Gleiberman, 鈥渢he plot that was once catchy is now rote.鈥�