3/5 good but disturbing
  by Rhonda Topham (seattle, wa usa)
this is disturbing when it talks about this guys wife getting raped then killed. but luckuly it doesn't show it.

2/5 Il Magnifico Siete
  by Lex Orandi
More of a cold spaghetti western (as they are called) than a true sequel to the American western original. Lee Van Cleef is found in other 'spaghetti westerns' like The Good the Bad and the Ugly with dubbed English translations over the Italian. This film is a lot of action with limited character development and amiable characters like Ronaldo the loner who in the original gets 'adopted' by a couple of the village boys only to die in their arms later.

Good action, but personally I liked it less knowing that it was somewhat cold and not very true to the original.

4/5 Brand New 7 Doing Their Number
  by Algonquin
This is a brand new 7 doing their number or so the poster said. According to the United Artists Pressbook this is not a true sequel to the three preceding films. Instead it is a tale of a brand new Seven rooted to themes and traditions that the earlier films embraced. That same United Artists Pressbook also pointed out that this film contained a very original and innovative story while not abandoning the thematic idea of seven gunmen coming to the rescue of the downtrodden. Chris is the main character of this film and the entire story revolves around him rather than the seven as a cohesive force. Chris, portrayed by a very engaging Lee Van Cleef, is an ex-gunman turned town marshal and now married. Where all three previous films opened with a protracted conflict affecting the lives of poor Mexican farmers, this film has no apparent immediate danger that would draw Chris into and away from his current lifestyle. Needless to say, that changes dramatically. This film really caries no formula recognizable from THE MAGNIFICENT SEVEN but approaches the conflict with a bandit hoard quite differently. The conflict, the motivations and the stakes are all different. This film lacks the grandeur or depth of its predecessors and plays out acts of violence for effect rather than substance. Elmer Bernstein apparently assembled a much smaller orchestra perhaps feeling a need to bid farewell to the Seven with a whimper rather than imply some majestic idealism as the sun was setting fast on day of the Western.


4/5 Surprisingly Suspenseful!
  by Rob (Texas)
I can't say I was expecting much from the final Magnificent Seven movie, but with Lee Van Cleef in it, I had to check it out. Of course, nothing matches the first film, but this one is better than Return of the Seven, which I thought had a weak premise. "Ride", however, begins a bit weak, but once Chris gets on the trail, its an absorbing story that will leave some sweat on your palms. The usual "Seven" situation is given a twist by making it a village of women to be defended against further rapine and the way that Van Cleef must ensure the allegiance of his current allies. The current crew does not have the charisma of the original Seven except for Van Cleef, Michael Callan, and Luke Askew. Askew's character is fun to watch, since he is the ultimate test of Van Cleef's leadership. This makes the ending both appropriate and humorous. Van Cleef's method of tactical dispersal of the women is ingenious and helps give some definition to some of the characters. Overall, I was impressed by how small a budget it must have taken to make this film and yet it's an effective, enjoyable movie.

5/5 The magnificent seven ride on DVD!
  by
All of the Seven movies had wonderful moments and Rides is no exception. This excellent fourth Seven film is a very entertaining Western. I'm so glad they put this great movie on DVD!