3:10 To Yuma Review

In 3:10 to Yuma, Dan Evans (Christian Bale) volunteers to escort the captured notorious outlaw Dan Wade (Russell Crowe) to the train station. It's a perilous task, as Dan Wade's gang is still on the loose and will most likely try to save their irreplaceable leader. Even so, the one-legged Dan Evans prefers the danger to continuing to lose respect and meeting financial ruin.

The Western is a genre routinely pronounce dead. This is a bit of an exaggeration. It is surely a fraction of the presence it once was in film, but Westerns still are made in about the same quantity as any other popular historical period. Westerns have just settled on a more reasonable rate.

Westerns are mostly mourned by film buffs who miss the classic archetypal qualities of the Western. At least for a moment, they may forget their sadness, as 3:10 to Yuma is a successful resurrection of the genre. Directed by James Mangold, it concentrates on an ethical question. In desperate times, does one choose comfort for one's family or respect for justice and the law?

There are few actors who could deal with this question as tactfully as Christian Bale, who begins to mesmerize us from the first limp. His son (Logan Lerman) is beginning to second guess him at the tumultuous age of 14. His very attractive wife (Gretchen Mol) is solemn and probably wondering if she chose the right man. He bears this weight gravely, yet still manages to demonstrate his willpower when put to the test.

It is not just the audience who finds Christian Bale enthralling, the outlaw Dan Wade also takes a peculiar interest in his character. Dan Wade is a man who lives by rules other than law. We can't get optimistic and call him an honorable thief; he's a cold-blooded killer at times. Instead, we might call him a follower of the human spirit. He's interested in the responses he gets out of Dan Evans and finding out about Dan Evans' past and motives. It also seems that the interest of Dan Wade may decide one's life or death.

At times, 3:10 to Yuma stretches plausibility. The only thing keeping our suspension of disbelief from snapping is the constant cleverness that is presented to us throughout the film. The supporting characters do a good job in assisting with this, as well as highlighting the central battle of wills. We are rarely bored, although occasionally we may find 3:10 to Yuma's bold aspirations to be a bit presumptuous (is a farming metaphor the most applicable to modern society?). The film as a whole rests on the excellent performances of Christian Bale and Russell Crowe. If you are not a fan of Westerns, Christian Bale, or Russell Crowe, you might want to pass on this one. Otherwise, you'll probably enjoy it.