This is one heck of a boxset. All magnificent seven movies together.
The Magnificent Seven - the western remake of Kurosawa's "Seven Samurai", is a true classic. With great unforgetable performances of the whole cast - all Seven plus Eli Wallach as Calvera and a great musical score. I could go on and on, but this is one achetypal western!
The Return Of The Magnificent Seven- the first sequel, is the most disappointing. Not bad per se and though neither sequel reaches the same level as the first, it's the one where Yul is back but Steve McQueen's, Horst Buchholz and Rosenda Monteros are not. They are portrayed by other actors.
The same village is raided by a troubled bandit who enslaves the men and puts them to work. Its up to Chris (Brynner) to save the day together with six other gunmen for hire.
It is also the one which is almost a copy of the original. The other issue is that actor's performances ranged from good to mediocre and only Yul Brynners is powerful enough to be remembered. Though an entertaining western, it''s the most mediocre of the four "seven" movies.
The Guns Of The Magnificent Seven
George Kennedy is Chis Adams. No Yul, but he does a very good job. Compared to ""the return", the other six actors make a lasting impression and the writing is descent enough to be fast paced, entertaining and still obtaining some compassion for each gunmen as the movie goes along. This time, "the seven" have to break a mexican revolutionary from a prison lead by a tirannical warden. A welcome change in plot. For a moment I was afraid I was going to watch 4 slightly modified versions of the same movie.
Perhaps the best of the three sequels.
The Maginifcent Seven Ride
This has the look of a TV movie. But a solid one. Lee Van Cleef is a good (elder) Chris Adams. He gets involved in saving a village of women whos men have all been , killed by a bandit because an old debt he had to a good friend of his,by recruiting a "dirty seven" (get the in-joke?). Though the first half is slower paced as the other movies, it builds more into character and motives, probably saved by the solid acting. I could tell since I wasn't bored at all.
A lot of to be TV-stars can be seen as the seven and in supporting roles. Very solid and entertaining and final installment of "the seven"
A four out of 5 for a couple of things: only the first movie (the original) is a "special edition"with loads of extra's and for the disappointing second film, the solid third and fourth and last but not least: the first and original "the Maginificent Seven".