Review: 3:10 To Yuma, Character Action Done Right
- Jun 24, 2017
- 2 min read
Directed by James Mangold (Logan), 3:10 To Yuma is a remake of the 1957 film of the same name, itself an adaptation of the book Three-Ten To Yuma. There's just one small difference, you'll remember this one.
Rancher Dan Evans (Christian Bale) witnesses a stage coach robbery, one led by the infamous Ben Wade (Russel Crowe). Soon after Dan stumbles across Ben in the small town of Bisbee, capturing him and getting himself rolled up in a plan to escort Wade cross county to catch the 3:10 train to Yuma. His reward, the sum of $200, more than twice what he would make in a years. But Wade won't go quietly, and he doesn't travel alone. His gang, led by Charlie Prince (Ben Foster) are close behind with one thing on their minds, revenge.
3:10 To Yuma is, without a doubt, one of the greatest westerns of modern times. Between the deeply layered characters and stellar action, it is everything a western should aspire to be. Crowe and Bale excel in their roles, each of them are riveting and play out their stories excellently. And it's these stories that make the movie. They twist and turn as the journey progresses, the further away from home they travel. It's not necessarily the nicest of tales but it's certainly compelling.
The action is equally good, with shoot outs tearing apart scenery and characters alike. The final set piece is one for the ages and its conclusion is one that won't soon be forgotten. Foster makes a good argument for being an action star as he blasts his way through the competition with a deftness reserved only for the likes of Eastwood.
3:10 To Yuma does everything in its power to earn your respect, and it certainly has mine. There's not a moment wasted, not a detail missed and it's certainly woth the watch.
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