It's not easy to ride on the footprints of the original "The Magnificent Seven", one of the best westerns ever made, masterfully directed by John Sturges and based on the work of art "Seven Samurai" ('54) by Akira Kurosawa. This sequel, released around 6 years later, can't even aspire as 'magnificent', but it's still an enjoyable western flick with hour and a half of pure classic escapism.
Yul Brynner returns to the role of the leader of the pack, Chris Larabee Adams, this time recruiting Robert Fuller (fresh from the TV Shows: "Laramie" and "Wagon Train", playing here the Steve MacQueen's role of Vin Tannen); Julian Mateos (playing Horst Buchholz's role of Chico); Claude Atkins (from "Rio Bravo") as Frank; Portuguese actor Virgilio Teixeira as Luis Delgado; Sam Peckinpah's 'usual suspect', Warren Oates as Colbee and Jordan Christopher, in his screen debut, as Manuel.
The plot is a rehash from the first film, with some interesting ideas thrown into it that could have produced a better movie if the budget was higher; the writing had been revised; the development, expanded and the directing, less pedestrian.
6 years had passed and Chico is still living in the small village, working as a farmer with his wife Petra (Elisa Montés on Rosenda Monteros' role). One day, a crazy bandido named Lorca (Emilio Fernandez from "The Wild Bunch") and his army of one-hundred men, invade the village and kidnap all the male farmers to do slavery work on a 'villa', located in the middle of the desert, rebuilding a Church in homage to Lorcas's two dead sons. Petra begs Chris for help, and again with his 'second-in-command' Vin, they must recruit 5 more 'magnificent men' to rescue Chico and the poor villagers from Lorca's evil hands.
Yul Brynner is always cool to follow, with his deep & imposing voice, catwalk moves, characteristic shaved head (since "The King and I") and his commanding presence that can lead a bunch of misfits gunslingers to do heroic feats, facing death to save a bunch of innocent peasants. Robert Fuller came from a background in television doing two western TV Shows (like McQueen in the first movie that came from "Wanted: Dead or Alive"), but Fuller isn't McQueen, neither Burt Kennedy is John Sturges and besides the lack of McQueen's on-screen presence and charisma, his character is too shallow and very low-profile for a second lead, also the directing and writing for his character didn't help him to impose. Warren Oates leaves a positive impression, his Colbee here reminds a lot of his future character in "The Wild Bunch", produced 3 years after this one; Claude Atkins is good as the troubled Frank, a man haunted by his past; Virgilio Teixeira delivers as a flamboyant & womanizer character, but he had too little to work with; Julian Mateos is more restrained playing Chico than the 'over-the-top' Horst Buchholz playing him in the original film and Jordan Christopher can't do much with only 5 or 6 lines in it, but his naive & well-meaning character became the heart of the movie.
In short, "Return of the Seven" if compared with the vastly superior "The Magnificent Seven" is a major disappointment, especially back then when it was released, but at least it's much better than the two low budget follow-ups starring George Kennedy and Lee van Cleef playing the Chris Adams' role.
Last, but not the least, the Elmer Bernstein's iconic orchestration in all its musical splendor is back, just for it, it's worth the viewing !!
Yul Brynner returns to the role of the leader of the pack, Chris Larabee Adams, this time recruiting Robert Fuller (fresh from the TV Shows: "Laramie" and "Wagon Train", playing here the Steve MacQueen's role of Vin Tannen); Julian Mateos (playing Horst Buchholz's role of Chico); Claude Atkins (from "Rio Bravo") as Frank; Portuguese actor Virgilio Teixeira as Luis Delgado; Sam Peckinpah's 'usual suspect', Warren Oates as Colbee and Jordan Christopher, in his screen debut, as Manuel.
The plot is a rehash from the first film, with some interesting ideas thrown into it that could have produced a better movie if the budget was higher; the writing had been revised; the development, expanded and the directing, less pedestrian.
6 years had passed and Chico is still living in the small village, working as a farmer with his wife Petra (Elisa Montés on Rosenda Monteros' role). One day, a crazy bandido named Lorca (Emilio Fernandez from "The Wild Bunch") and his army of one-hundred men, invade the village and kidnap all the male farmers to do slavery work on a 'villa', located in the middle of the desert, rebuilding a Church in homage to Lorcas's two dead sons. Petra begs Chris for help, and again with his 'second-in-command' Vin, they must recruit 5 more 'magnificent men' to rescue Chico and the poor villagers from Lorca's evil hands.
Yul Brynner is always cool to follow, with his deep & imposing voice, catwalk moves, characteristic shaved head (since "The King and I") and his commanding presence that can lead a bunch of misfits gunslingers to do heroic feats, facing death to save a bunch of innocent peasants. Robert Fuller came from a background in television doing two western TV Shows (like McQueen in the first movie that came from "Wanted: Dead or Alive"), but Fuller isn't McQueen, neither Burt Kennedy is John Sturges and besides the lack of McQueen's on-screen presence and charisma, his character is too shallow and very low-profile for a second lead, also the directing and writing for his character didn't help him to impose. Warren Oates leaves a positive impression, his Colbee here reminds a lot of his future character in "The Wild Bunch", produced 3 years after this one; Claude Atkins is good as the troubled Frank, a man haunted by his past; Virgilio Teixeira delivers as a flamboyant & womanizer character, but he had too little to work with; Julian Mateos is more restrained playing Chico than the 'over-the-top' Horst Buchholz playing him in the original film and Jordan Christopher can't do much with only 5 or 6 lines in it, but his naive & well-meaning character became the heart of the movie.
In short, "Return of the Seven" if compared with the vastly superior "The Magnificent Seven" is a major disappointment, especially back then when it was released, but at least it's much better than the two low budget follow-ups starring George Kennedy and Lee van Cleef playing the Chris Adams' role.
Last, but not the least, the Elmer Bernstein's iconic orchestration in all its musical splendor is back, just for it, it's worth the viewing !!