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3:10 To Yuma
Directed by: James Mangold
Starring: Russell Crowe
Genre:
Western
Run Time: 117
min.
Release Date:
September 2007
On The Web:
Official
Site
Teaser:
Movie Trailer
Reviewed by
Byron Merritt |
Westerns are a tough sale
to many movie buffs. They tend to be overdone, cliché, and ho-hum on
action. And although 3:10 TO YUMA has a few of those strikes
against it, it does stand out as a good film for a couple of reasons.
First is the acting. Russell Crowe (CINDERELLA
MAN) as the bad-ass Ben Wade was a great choice. He’s a
ruggedly good-lookin’ fella with a heart of stone that melts just a tad
when faced with a good man trying to raise a good family. The good man
is Christian Bale (THE PRESTIGE) who plays Dan Evans, a one-legged
rancher who decides to help out the local constabulary by hauling the
murderous and thieving Wade to the 3:10 train destined for the Yuma
federal prison. But the biggest surprise wasn’t from Crowe or Bale but
instead from Ben Foster (30 DAYS OF NIGHT) as the gruff and deadly
Charlie Prince, lead member of Ben Wade’s outlaw gang. His creepy and
maligned gunslinging attitude was well-honed and goes beyond anything
you’ve seen of bad guys in past western films. A surprisingly decent
addition in the form of Peter Fonda (WILD HOGS) as a roughshod pinkerton
also adds a bit to the acting caliber throughout the movie.
Secondly, although 3:10 To Yuma is basically a remake of the 1957 film
by the same name (starring Glen Ford and Van Heflin), the script of this
re-envisioned version weaves a new ending that goes a long way to
helping it define itself as something more than just a remake. Keeping
us guessing about the strengths and flaws of each of the main characters
added a fresh element to what could have been a stale retelling.
And finally, the action. There’s plenty of old-style sequences that many
will be familiar with (blowing up a tunnel by shooting a wad of dynamite
in midair, a stagecoach shoot-out, etc.), but there’s also some great
chase-and-shoot scenes in the beginning and end of the film.
I do have to mention that Hollywood has seen fit lately to remake just
about anything some movie studio still holds rights to, and this trend
appears to be gaining steam rather than diminishing. 3:10 To Yuma is no
different in that respect, but it doesn’t simply follow the same script
of the 1957 version, which makes it an unusual hybrid: a film that
treads over old terrain but leaves a new imprint via its ending.
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Image from 3:10 To Yuma
DVD cost: $21.81
Purchase:
Tower.com (Blu-Ray)
Film Review Stew
Favorite? No.
Stew Poo-Poo? No.
Newsworthy:
The short story upon which
the film is based was published in Dime Western Magazine in 1953. The
action begins in the hotel room with a deputy sheriff guarding a 21 year
old robber.
Movie Quote: "What
are you doing out here, Dan? You've got a family to protect."
Other Actors/Actresses
from 3:10 To Yuma
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