Posted on September 10, 2007
“3:10 to Yuma” marks a new age for the almost forgotten western. Director James Mangold (“Walk the Line”) takes what could’ve been a pointless shoot-‘em-up action flick and turns it into a movie with a real heart in it. This remake of the original “3:10 to Yuma,” which was first released 50 years ago, rescues the western genre and brings it some newly found respect.
The story is not complex, but it isn’t exactly simple either. It’s about a poor ranch owner named Dan Evans (played by Christian Bale) who is having a hard time trying to keep his land from the high-and-mighty railroad executives during the time right after the Civil War. He lost one of his feet in the war, so he can’t get around very well, and he can barely afford to feed his wife and their two boys.
When Evans thinks it can’t get any worse, the most ruthless killing outlaw the country had ever seen named Ben Wade (played by Russell Crowe) comes to town and causes all kinds of problems. By a random stray of events, Wade is captured and needs to be taken to the town of Contention and put on a train to Yuma, which leaves at 3:10 p.m. (hence the title of the film). From there, the train will take him to his trial. Evans offers to help escort Wade to the train station for a price of $200, which is the money he needs to save his family and land. Not many people volunteer to take Wade, so they take Evans up on his offer.
The casting in this movie really makes it shine. Bale and Crowe are excellent, especially in they way they play off each other, making the audience crave for more when they aren’t on screen. Joining them is classic actor Peter Fonda, who really makes you feel like you aren’t watching a western, but more like you’re in the western. But nothing compares to the performance that young up-and-comer Ben Foster displays. He pulls off the best evil sidekick character I have ever seen, and that includes not just westerns, but all movies up until today.
Not only is the acting great, but the cinematography is just breathtaking. It’s beautiful to watch and it captures the look of the old West perfectly. From the old town saloons to the great stretches of land and mountains, this movie really makes you feel what it would have been like to live in that time period.
“3:10 to Yuma” satisfies those who like action and for those who care about the characters. The relationship between Evans and his 14-year-old son are almost too realistic. The father and son “coming of age” story is a sub-plot, but it is almost as important as the main story. This movie really shows what it’s like to be a human. Between the gun fights and the explosions, this movie does a great job in keeping audiences interested in the welfare of the main characters. It might get your attention with its action sequences, but it leaves a lasting mark with its humanistic tone.
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