It’s no surprise that Denzel Washington and director Antoine Fuqua would work together again on a new project. They certainly struck gold with the popular and the acclaimed “Training Day”. But I have to admit I was a bit surprised at their latest creative endeavor. I’m not sure why though. After all this is the age of remakes, reboots, reimaginings, re-everything else.

Their newest collaboration is “The Magnificent Seven”, a modern action crowdpleaser anchored by a fun ensemble cast. The original 1960 Western classic was based on Kurosawa’s masterpiece “Seven Samurai”. This updated film tends to pull further away from its roots but never so far as to lose its identity. It embraces the basics of the story while adding in a few details of its own. And as expected it attempts to do everything bigger most notably the furious wild western action.

If you haven’t seen the 1960 Western, Yul Brynner led a hired band of misfits to protect a small Mexican village from a gang of violent bandits. In Fuqua’s version the Mexican village is exchanged for a small mining town named Rose Creek and Peter Sarsgaard’s Bogue  is the vile industrialist terrorizing them. Washington takes Brynner’s spot. He plays Sam Chisolm who is approached by a young woman from Rose Creek (Haley Bennett) seeking help.

Sam agrees but first he’ll need a team of gunfighters to train the townsfolk and lead the defense against Bogue and his gang. His merry band of wild west outcasts includes a boozing gambler (Chris Pratt), an ex-confederate sharpshooter (Ethan Hawke), a deadly assassin (Byung-hun Lee), a wanted Mexican bandit (Manuel Garcia-Rulfo), a big burly tracker (Vincent D’Onofrio), and a disillusioned Comanche warrior (Martin Sensmeier).

Fuqua, screenwriters Nic Pizzolatto and Richard Wenk do a good job of building a fun camaraderie between their characters. It’s one of the film’s key ingredients since it genuinely wants to be a buddy-cowboy picture. There is plenty of playful banter, ribbing, and jests but never too much. That’s because it’s also aiming for something more – an old school western.

Watching the movie I couldn’t help but feel a little bit nostalgic. Fuqua tips his Stetson to a number of classic western angles both narratively and visually. His use of the camera is fantastic (great cinematography from another “Training Day” alumni Mauro Fiore) and the score features some of the last work of the late great James Horner. And you’ll clearly notice Fuqua channeling from an assortment of western directors from John Ford to Sergio Leone.

Expect some fierce and energetic action especially in the inevitable final showdown (which is especially fun). Following a familiar blueprint each character is given their moment to show off their gun-twirling, knife throwing, or dynamite-chunking. What you won’t see is any deeper sense of emotional struggle between these characters. We get glimpses of it especially from one specific character but never enough to divert it from its clear desire to be a straightforward action film.

That leaves “The Magnificent Seven” open to reasonable criticism. It’s not a deep contemplative character study or emotionally heavy drama. It certainly misses some opportunities to incorporate those elements which may have made it a better film. But I’m fine with it since that isn’t what this film is aiming to be. It’s an action romp and Denzel and company pull it off nicely. They are clearly having a blast doing it and I must say I did too.

VERDICT – 4 STARS

“Mustang” begins innocently enough. The school day ends for five orphaned sisters. The youngest girl and the film’s main protagonist Lale (played by Gunes Sensoy) is giving a teary-eyed goodbye to her favorite teacher who is leaving their small Turkish village for Istanbul. On the way home the five girls take a detour and have playful outing in the sea with some local boys.

But co-writer and first time director Deniz Gamze Ergüven wastes no time peeling back the many complex layers to her story. The townsfolk believe the girls to be unruly and promiscuous and are quick to judge their swim with the boys. By the time they get home their grandmother and guardian (Nihal Koldaş) has heard the neighbors’ salacious rumors and physically punishes the girls despite their pleas of innocence.

That opening event sets the table for the film’s main idea – five young sisters coming of age in a hyper-conservative, religiously stringent home. With each conflict their home becomes more of a prison both literally and figuratively. Ergüven’s honest portrayal doesn’t skirt around the physical and emotional hardships each girl experiences. We still get those playful and warm moments between them, but we are quickly reminded of how painfully serious and heart-wrenching their situation is.

One thing “Mustang” does so well is give all five sisters their own identity. This works thanks to great attention to personal detail in the writing and fantastic performances all around. Lale is the youngest and serves as our eyes and ears. Nur (Doğa Doğuşlu) is a fireball and closest to Lale’s age. Ece (Elit İşcan) is the sister who often languishes in her middle child status. Next is Sonay (İlayda Akdoğan) the rebellious one who sneaks out of the house with no regard of consequence. And last is Selma (Tuğba Sunguroğlu) the quiet and reserved one who as the oldest girl faces the brunt of punishment.

So many variables factor into the lives these girls are forced to live. The village’s strict religious tradition strips the girls of nearly every youthful experience they long for. It may be a trip to a soccer match or simply falling in love. Their vile uncle Erol (Ayberk Pekcan) is even worse – verbally berating them, subjecting them to medical virginity tests, barring their windows, and in some instances far worse.

“Mustang” can be intensely uncomfortable and its bleakness often clouds any hint of optimism. But Ergüven never abandons hope. In many ways “Mustang” is a celebration of the youthful spirit and spotlights the longing for personal freedom and independence. That is what kept me glued to the story and emotionally bound to these young girls. That is what would sadden me in one scene and then have me laughing out loud a few scenes later.

Few movies have held my heart in its hands like “Mustang”. As the film moved forward I found my affections for the five girls growing. As a result I experienced joy, sympathy, shock, outrage, despair, and hope, all within Ergüven’s dramatic scope. “Mustang” is earnest, authentic, and brave enough to challenge specific social norms without a heavy hand. But it always comes back to five young girls desperate to experience life. That focus is what made “Mustang” such an extraordinary film.

VERDICT – 5 STARS