The first of three follow-ups to the John Sturges' western classic "The Magnificent Seven" is a prototypic sequel if there ever was one. It's a totally redundant and uninvolving rehash of the original that you nevertheless don't mind watching purely for popcorn entertainment value. The plot is almost identical, the lead actor reprises his role although he doesn't seem all too happy about that and some of the original characters are there as well albeit portrayed by different, inferior actors. I had some personal reasons for desperately wanting to see the film, including this being one of the first scripts written by Larry Cohen and Warren Oates in one of his pre-Peckinpah roles, but I could have guessed "The Return of the Seven" would be a forgettable and second class western. A large posse of bandits have kidnapped Chico (who suddenly looks a whole lot more Mexican than in the original film) and the rest of the male population in the original village to works as slaves. Under the reign of a man named Lorca, they are forced to build a church monument in honor of his executed sons. Chris and (a different) Vin round up four more trigger-happy gunslingers to save the day. Most of the sequences in this film are actually shameless copies from the highlights of the original. The recruitment of the shooters goes a little quicker, but they still use the same counting gestures. Why is it that cool stuff from the originals always looks silly in sequels? Chris' character also has become some kind of all-knowing, philosophizing prophet. He speaks the absolute minimum, but nonetheless makes people question themselves. Usually he just goes standing next to them and they begin talking wholeheartedly about their lives and issues. Chris merely just replies with one sentence but apparently this is enough to make them contemplate everything all over again. The other characters, on the other hand, are colorless and dull. Vin and Chico are only shadows of what they used to be and the others are merely just caricatures. Claude Akins as the silent and embittered loner and Warren Oates as the sneaky womanizer to name just two. The shootout sequences are pretty boring and unexciting. Elmer Bernstein's music is still a joy to listen to, but also that is exactly the same as in the original.
Review of Return of the Seven
