[MOVIE] 3:10 to Yuma Review

[Emperor]

So Yveva and I saw the special sneak preview last weekend and here is what I thought....

 

This is essential a remake of the Glenn Ford and Van Heflin by the same name but the director/writers do a great job of bringing this back to the big screen (especially as many will not know about the original in the first place).  I thought the movie really does a pretty good job utlizing the acting skills of Russell Crowe and Christian Bale (no ladies, he is not topless in this one).  The plot is simple.... Crowe is an outlaw that is caught and is needed to be escorted to the prison train.  Bale volunteers with a group of other men (one being Alan Tudyk).  Like any good outlaw, Crowe has a band of baddies that are trying to get their boss out of the clutches of the law.  The band is led by Ben Foster who I thought portrayed a nasty gunslinger quite well (Foster was Angel in X3).  Anyway, the story is very well done and while the acting isn't Oscar caliber, it is quite good.  I suggest this movie to anyone that enjoys a good western.  It definetly ranks in my top 10 of the year.

 

If you see it, please repond with your own comments....

[ironcross]

havent seen it yet but want to.  am glad that you liked it, hope i do when i do see it.  would you say it was better or worse then open range?

[Emperor]

Definetly better.  Open range was not bad but not my favorite movie.  I would say Open Range was more of the traditional western while 310 was a little more unique.

[Emperor]

Additional reviews coming:

 

3 :10 to Yuma is a remake of the 1957 film of the same title which starred Glenn Ford and Van Heflin and arguably stands as one of the best western films that still holds up today.

 

With the string of bad remakes Hollywood has under it's track record there stands room for concern that this remake is just another attempt to cash in on a familiar name. But the film is directed by the careful hands of James Mangold who also directed the award winning film Walk the Line with Joaquin Phoenix.

Thankfully 3 :10 to Yuma delivers the goods and just in time after a long batch of bad movies.

 

Christian Bale plays Dan Evans, a family man who is struggling to survive in his ranch who witnesses a stage coach robbery led by deadly outlaw Ben Wade (played by Russell Crowe) and his Gang of murderers. After seeing Evans wants no conflict and just wants to farm with his family Wade allows him to leave with his 2 sons. While separated from his gang Wade is captured and issued to be sent to Yuma where he will be hanged for his crimes. In debt and desperate for money, Evans takes the job of escorting Wade to the 3 :10 train to Yuma. Wades gang now led by the insane Charlie Prince played by Ben Foster is on their trail intent of getting their leader back and will kill anybody in their way.

 

The biggest concern when seeing a remake is that it might miss the mark on whatever made the original film so special .3:10 to Yuma isn't a re-imagining of the story by Elmore Leonard. It stays true to what made the original a classic but It's also one of the few times you will ever see a remake stand on it's own as a great film. There is enough that’s different here to appease today’s modern filmgoers and those who love the western genre. Even if one thinks Western films are just too cliché these days any clichés here are only the ones self imposed by the viewer. 3:10 to Yuma doesn’t rely on overacting or dramatic stare downs. It’s not only a great western but also a great film with some genuine powerful moments that bring the story down to earth instead wallowing in bravado.

 

Christian Bale does his best performance since The Machinist as a man trying to provide for his family while maintaining that sense of nobility he’s trying to instill to his sons. He’s a torn character doing what he has to do to define what makes him a man. Russell Crowe who easily could have slept through this role has HIS best performance in a while playing the impressionable Ben Wade. His character is not your cookie cut bad guy and Crowe pulls off a villain you just want to see more of. Bale and Crowe are both amazing actors and share an on screen chemistry that is rarely seen when two main actors need to share screen time. A fact that’s vital considering the main appeal of the film is the relationship that is built between Dan Evans and Ben Wade.

 

It’s a relationship that would never have worked if the movie didn’t do such a good job with the characters. You feel for Evans in his dream to be respected and admired by his sons and wife. You get the sense of his desperation as he tries to not only cling on to his goals but his morals and decency. As their relationship forms you see how deep Wade is and get a sense that inside in that murderous madman there’s a good person who just had the rotten luck of having to do what he had to do to survive.

 

Every other character in this film is treated with the same respect as they all play a role in the overall story. Something that is missed by so many movies intent on putting Caricatures on screen instead of devoting 1 or 2 extra minutes of dialogue to make them actual characters instead. One character that deserves honorable mention is Charlie Prince played by Ben Foster who has totally redeemed himself with me after what he did to Angel in X-men 3. All the care they put in these characters bring this movie to life and you actually feel this is a real situation and the danger is very real.

 

Any time I thought the movie dragged too long something happened. Any time I questioned the characters actions, it was explained. I haven’t seen a movie focus that much attention to detail in a long time. This is easily one of my favorite films of the year and there were no digital effects with a thousand moving parts or slow motion bullet time effects , Just solid story telling and great film making. This film gets a Golden Ruben award and a personal thanks for ending a long streak of bad movies. It’s movies like this that remind me why I love going to the movies.

 

 

[Mendorah]

yay!  I'm glad this is getting good reviews.  I wanna see it.  I've been following Christian Bale's career since we were both little kids, so it's awesome to see that he's turned in to the man of the hour as far as acting goes.  He deserves it.