Through it all, Mazur and Kathy have to pretend to be deeply in love, even though he is happily married to wife Evelyn (Juliet Aubrey). Much of the sting's success rests on them seeming like a real couple. They befriend Alciano and his wife Gloria (Elena Anaya) to add legitimacy, a development that ends up taking a toll once Kathy realises the woman she has come to know and like is going to end up a victim. If anything, The Infiltrator could have gone even deeper with this idea. We're told this is Kathy's first undercover operation, yet she automatically seems self-assured, so it would have been captivating to see more of the ethical dilemmas she faces as she carries out an assignment that requires duplicity. Kruger is outstanding nonetheless, as is Bryan Cranston. He's become one of the most engaging actors around, capable of projecting intensity and vulnerability at the same time, and he shows how the character is fiercely committed to pulling off the sting, but also acutely aware of the risks, both professional and personal. This is excellent, intelligent entertainment.
Cast: Denzel Washington, Peter Sasgaard, Chris Pratt, Ethan Hawke, Haley Bennett
Director: Antoine Fuqua
2 hrs 12 mins
The 1960 original of “The Magnificent Seven”, which starred Yul Brynner and Steve McQueen, is regarded my many as one of the most popular Westerns of all time, so it was never thought possible that anyone could improve upon it. Nevertheless, director Antoine Fuqua felt he could have a go. In his film, ruthless industrialist Bartholomew Bogue (Peter Sarsgaard) plots to take over and mine the tiny town of Rose Creek, much to the chagrin of its residents. After Bogue cold-bloodedly murders her husband, townswoman Emma Cullen (Haley Bennett) hires bounty hunter Sam Chisolm (Denzel Washington) to extract revenge. He assembles a team of gunslingers and outlaws, including wisecracking Joshua Faraday (Chris Pratt), traumatised war veteran Goodnight Robicheaux (Ethan Hawke), and religious zealot Jack Horne (Vincent D'Onofrio) to join him. Making up the remainder of the septet are Asian blade master Billy Rocks (Byung-hun Lee), a “Texican” named Vasquez (Manuel Garcia-Rulfo), and Red Harvest (Martin Sensmeier), a Comanche skilled with a bow and arrow.
What you may have noticed here is that some of the group members are portrayed by well-known actors, others by much-less familiar names. This is reflected in the film itself. Characters played by big stars are fully developed, while the others are one-dimensional window dressing. It's a shame because Billy Rocks, in particular, is rather interesting and has real potential for expansion. It would have been nice if all seven were as magnificent as Chisolm, Faraday, and Robicheaux - regrettably they are not. However there seems some real commitment towards making everybody feel as authentic as possible. Washington finds yet another fresh spin for his trademark intensity, turning Chisolm into a laconic, yet dedicated crusader for justice. Pratt brings a welcome dose of comic relief, and Hawke shows the interior anguish that Robicheaux perpetually experiences. Haley Bennett, meanwhile, does a lot with her role, infusing Emma with such genuine emotion that she transcends the stock nature of the lone significant female character.
The action sequences are where the film does best, with the final half-hour or so just one big set piece as Chisolm and the gang execute their plan to take on Bogue, even though he has them vastly outnumbered. Fuqua stages the scene with all the requisite mayhem, yet avoids the temptation to edit things so rapidly that we lose track of what's happening. The balance here is fine, which goes a long way toward maintaining our interest. The entire outing though, it has to be said, provides no real substance, meaning, or depth. It is simply what it is: a breezy Western adventure with a few recognisable cast members. It isn't the greatest Western ever made, or even the best one of recent years, but it's satisfying enough.
