| 3:10 To Yuma (2007) |
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| Written by Daniel Cann | |
| Friday, 23 January 2009 | |
From the director of ‘Walk The Line’ comes this Western, a remake of the 1957 classic. Set in Arizona in the late 19th century it concerns infamous outlaw Ben Wade (Russell Crowe) and his gang who terrorise the Southern Railroad with their daring raids and robberies. Enter injured Civil War veteran and good family man Dan Evans (Batman’s Christian Bale) who struggles to survive in the harsh desert conditions farming on a drought-plagued ranch and suffering intimidation from the despotic railroad boss Glen Hollander (Lennie Loftin) and his hired thugs. Opportunity arrives for the beleaguered Evans and his young family when Wade is captured and Evans volunteers to escort him to the prison train bound for Yuma, the 3:10 of the films title. With Wade’s cold-blooded gang in hot pursuit and the threat of Apache attacks through the sandstone desert the journey takes on a far more dangerous aspect than they could have anticipated. The scene is set for an explosive showdown where bravery, loyalty, honour and self respect all come to the fore.
Director James Mangold and the scriptwriters have managed to create a realistic mercenary world where there is ambiguity, uncertainty and where loyalties can be bought. Crowe as Wade encapsulates this as the urbane, charming, cultured, smooth-talking, charismatic gang leader. That he is also deadly, dangerous and totally unscrupulous makes him all the more compelling, the viewer will believe in his gang’s loyalty to him. There are plenty of good supporting turns here notably from ‘Easy Rider’ and ‘Ulee’s Gold’ Peter Fonda as brutish Pinkerton agent Byron McElroy. Also, ‘Firefly’s’ Alan Tudyc offers some light entertainment to the proceedings as Doc; Dallas Roberts is convincing as Grayson Butterfield a railroad man and finally Ben Foster as Charlie Prince one of Wade’s men is chillingly brilliant as a cold blooded killer. The film is very atmospheric, taking the viewer into this bleak world, the cinematography is excellent and tension and suspense is sustained well as the clock counts down. When the action comes (and there is plenty of it) you are treated to relentless shoot-outs and chases. It is violent but then the film does not shy away from portraying the West as anything other than the grim place it must have been, it does not in anyway glamorise the era. The film is strong in its depiction of the people of the time, we see Pinkerton agents, and railroad men, Apaches, Chinamen, townsfolk, ranchers and lawmen, and they are all believable in their attitudes and mannerisms. The viewer will be riveted throughout this as there are changing loyalties and plenty of twists, bribes and double crosses to keep everyone on their toes. You are constantly reminded that people can be bought and can betray it is not as clear-cut as other Westerns have portrayed the time. Ultimately the film becomes a siege and it is all about Evans making a stand after being pushed around so much and getting (for him) some self-respect. There is assured direction and convincing playing as the tension mounts and the bullets begin to fly. The action is explosive and gripping. Thanks to two excellent central performances from Crowe and Bale there is plenty of gallows humour and nice one-liners amid the chaos and the grudging respect they build up through the course of the film is convincing. This is simply hugely enjoyable entertainment. Ever since I watched Westerns as a boy I have really enjoyed the genre so as a fan I would like to think myself a reasonably qualified ‘Western’ critic and I am happy to say this is up there with the very best. |