![Return of Magnificent Seven [Blu-ray]](http://cdn.hometheaterforum.com/8/8b/50x50px-ZC-8b54d243_19917_front.jpeg)
As sequels go "Return of the Magnificent Seven" isn't exactly a disaster, but it stands deep in the shadow of its predecessor, from the casting to the central conflict to the staging of its action sequences. The Blu-ray release is appropriately bare bones in response to this disappointing follow-up to a quintessential western film.
Return of the Magnificent Seven
Release Date: Available now
Studio: MGM Studios / 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment
Packaging/Materials: Single-disc Blu-ray "ECO-BOX"
Year: 1966
Rating: NR
Running Time: 1:35:49
MSRP: $19.99
| FEATURE | EXTRAS | |
| Video | 1080p high definition 2.35:1 | High definition |
| Audio | DTS-HD Master Audio: English 5.1 | Stereo |
| Subtitles | English SDH, Spanish, French | None |
The Feature: 2.5/5
It's been several years since the Calveras bandits were driven from the Mexican village, which the seventh gunman Chico (Julian Mateos, taking over for Horst Buchholz) ultimately chose to make his home. But like the many-headed hydra, a new band of outlaws has come to take the others' place, this time targeting the male villagers for some kind of slave labor. With Chico captured, his wife Petra (Elisa Montes) goes looking for help, specifically for the gun hand of the village's former protector Chris Adams (Yul Brynner, reprising his role). Along with his former compatriot Vin Tanner (Robert Fuller, taking over for Steve McQueen), Chris starts putting together another team of mercenaries to rescue his old friend and free the villagers from their enslavement. But where Calveras the Bandit was merely a bully, this new enemy has a much deeper motivation, and one that may prove beyond the Seven's ability to overcome.
Originally titled "Return of the Seven," it's telling that the sequel to the highly successful "Magnificent Seven" was stripped of the critical "m" word before it even hit theaters. Whether from a simple lack of forethought, or a Freudian slip, the lack of "magnificence" in the title holds true for the film itself. Though not exactly a disaster, it does stand deep in the shadow of its predecessor, never distinguishing itself in its casting, central conflict or action sequences. The casting of mostly unknowns to fill the shoes of actors like Steve McQueen, James Coburn, Charles Bronson, and Robert Vaughn is an immediate problem, but there's also not much compelling to the new characters, or at least we never get a chance to find out. Thanks to the shorter run time, there's no opportunity to get past initial presentations of them as grumps, scoundrels, or sex hungry playboys. By contrast, the main villain has an intriguing back story, but he - along with his half-baked revenge plot - also falls victim to limited screen time. Action and gun play get the bulk of the film's attention, taking up almost the final third of the film, but unfortunately without compelling characters or motivations, all of it comes off as rather uninvolving. Though the original film managed to rise above its pedigree as a remake, the same can't be said for its follow-up, which ultimately suffers from a textbook case of sequel-itis.
Video Quality: 3.5/5
Audio Quality: 2.5/5
Special Features: 1/5
Trailer (2:35, HD)
Recap
The Feature: 2.5/5
Video Quality: 3.5/5
Audio Quality: 2.5/5
Special Features: 1/5
Overall Score (not an average): 2/5
MGM Studios turns in a serviceable presentation to a largely un-magnificent sequel to the "Magnificent Seven" and, appropriately enough, includes a solitary trailer in its special features package.
