The Western Genre is Infused with Life Again

"3:10 To Yuma" (2007)
Directed by: James Mangold (Cop Land, Identity, Walk The Line)
Starring: Christian Bale, Russell Crowe, Peter Fonda, Ben Foster
Running Time: 117 minutes
Rut's Rating: 5/5

The Western genre has pretty much been dead for the past decade; the last great one IMO was 1993's Tombstone. Its managed to live on in TV movies and the occasional network mini-series, but feature film cowboy pics intended for theater distribution have been few and far between, until now.

3:10 To Yuma is an adaptation of the 1953 short story published in Dime Western Magazine, as well as a remake of the 1957 film of the same name. Directing this incredible film is James Mangold, a reliable storyteller who recently helmed the Oscar-nominated Johnny Cash biopic Walk The Line. In my own opinion, 3:10 To Yuma should be able to get an Oscar nod for Best Picture, seeing as how 2007 has been pretty scarce for films worthy of the Academy's attention. The recent Summer of Sequels only produced a handful of entertaining films, but none really worth any major awards.

Christian Bale co-stars as Dan Evans, a rancher low on income and low on respect from his teenage son, William. Evans has his land raided by debt collectors and his barn burned to the ground for missing land payments. To ease his financial and family situations, Dan agrees to transport a prisoner to catch a train to Yuma prison. That prisoner is legendary outlaw Ben Wade, played by Russell Crowe. Wade is a confident lawbreaker who plays mind games with Evans and his group while on the way to catch the train. Along the way, the group encounters deadly obstacles, including a band of Indians, other law enforcers who want to collect the reward for Wade's departure, and Wade's own group of thieves and murderers intent on rescuing their boss. This makes for some exciting scenes of suspense, as well as some great-looking gunfights.

Bale and Crowe hold the film together, as their characters rarely leave one another and the dialogue between the two is engaging and suspenseful at times. Its different seeing Crowe as the "bad guy", but he seems to revel in the role and takes it very seriously, in a performance that is Oscar-worthy. Bale should be nominated as well. His take on Dan Evans is gritty and emotional, and I really liked the chemistry he had with his on-screen son, especially near the end of the film.

Rounding out the cast is Ben Foster as Wade's right-hand man, Charlie Prince. Cold and conniving, Prince is almost trying to make a name for himself. And look for the legendary Peter Fonda as Byron McElroy, a man who has a past with Ben Wade. As well, comedic actor Luke Wilson has an uncredited cameo that has to be seen to be believed.

3:10 To Yuma is everything you could want in a western film. Its gripping, action-packed, well-written, and emotional. Those last 5 minutes are incredible and even left me nearly wiping a tear away. Call me a wuss all you want but this film suspends your disbelief like no other film this year.

For incredible story-telling and reinvigorating the American Western, I give 3:10 To Yuma a 5/5. It gave me so much more than I was expecting, and I believe it'll do the same for you.