Denzel Washington is back as a gunslinging bounty hunter in “The Magnificent Seven.” Lynn doesn’t care about the plot, you had her at Denzel. Deco’s chief “Wild West” correspondent Chris Van Vliet hung out with the stars of “The Magnificent Seven.”
Denzel Washington (as Sam Chisolm): “Took a job. Looking for some men to join me.”
Chris Pratt (as Josh Faraday): “Is it difficult?”
Denzel Washington (as Sam Chisolm): “Impossible.”
Denzel Washington is an outlaw for hire, called in to deal with a bad guy played by Peter Sarsgaard, who has taken over the town.
Chris Pratt (as Josh Faraday): “How many you got so far?”
Denzel Washington (as Sam Chisolm): “You and me.”
As the title suggests, along with Chris Pratt, they recruit five more gunslingers for a total of seven, including Ethan Hawke and Vincent D’Onofrio. And while we’re talking numbers, this is the third movie Denzel has done with director Antoine Fuqua.
Chris Van Vliet: “Denzel, when Antoine calls you and says, ‘I want you to be in my new film,’ what’s the next question that you ask?”
Denzel Washington: “Where’s the script?”
Chris Van Vliet: “And then is it like, ‘I’m in!’
Antoine Fuqua: (laughs)
Denzel Washington: “Not quite, let’s stick to the truth (laughs).”
The movie is a loose remake of the 1960 Western classic starring Steve McQueen.
Chris Van Vliet: “You know you guys in this movie have absolutely perfected the Western squint. Should we do the whole interview like this?”
Chris Pratt: “You can’t do it.”
Chris Van Vliet: “Why? What’s wrong with it?”
Chris Pratt: “You don’t have any wrinkles, you’re too young.”
Chris Van Vliet: “What are you talking about? Here they are!”
Chris Pratt: “Nope, no wrinkles.”
For all the movies Denzel has done in his career, this is his first time in a Western.
Chris Van Vliet: “Denzel, we obviously know you look great with a gun, but shooting in a Western, I feel like it’s different — it’s a different style. Did you have to relearn the gun work?”
Denzel Washington: “The holster and making sure you hit it without looking at it. That’s all you’ve got. Your horses and your guns.”
For Chris Pratt, he has another first he wants to conquer.
Chris Van Vliet: “You say in the film, ‘I’ve always wanted to blow something up.’ Your characters have done everything. You’ve hung out with dinosaurs, you’ve gone to space, you’ve become a Lego. Is there something still on that list for you of things you’ve always wanted to do?”
Chris Pratt: “I’ve always wanted to play a cop.”
Chris Van Vliet: “How have you not played a cop?”
Chris Prat: “It has the be the right film, the right character, the right message.”
Chris Van Vliet: “When we see you as a cop in a film, we’re going to remember this moment.”
Chris Pratt: “That’s right. It’s going to be called back.”
I have a suggestion for Chris Pratt’s cop role. I’m thinking, it could be a buddy cop comedy and we can call it “The Two Chris’s.” We’ve already got the movie poster!
The Magnificent Seven” is in theaters in Sept. 23.
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