3:10 to YurMama (Even bad boys love their Mommas)
Let me start off by saying that I am typically not a big fan of westerns. I usually find them boring or ridiculous, and I’ve never been able to sit through any of them with John Wayne. Well, thank God, this is no typical western (and yes, I do think there a couple of great ones). The fact that it is based on a short story by Elmore Leonard should be enough to know that you are in for something different here. He’s written a few other books that have been turned into movies such as “Out of Sight” and “Get Shorty”. Mr. Leonard once said that what makes his books so readable is that he leaves out the parts that readers skip. I haven’t read the book, but the screenwriting team here did a great job of leaving out the parts of westerns that usually bore me to tears. James Mangold (“Walk the Line) did a solid job behind the camera. The expertly handled pace kept the story moving along in a way that even if you had to go to the bathroom you never would have felt like there was a good time to do so and would have stuck in there through the end. Trust me on that. The action was tight, desperate and dangerous and everything on the screen felt authentic, yet fresh. You don’t often get true suspense in Westerns, but this was the exception (the clocks in the background were a great touch).
The story finds Dan Evans, played by Christian Bale (Batman Begins), a deeply indebted rancher, trying to salvage what’s left of his land from the town banker, who would rather cut off his creek and sell the land to the railroad. Dan wants nothing more than to feed his family and live in peace working his land, but when the most dangerous outlaw in the West, Ben Wade (Russell Crowe) gets captured (thanks to Dan’s passive involvement) the opportunity arises for Dan to make some money escorting him to – you guessed it – the 3:10 (train) to Yuma and get out of debt. What follows is the tale of a pacifist, wounded Civil War veteran trying to do right by his family and teach his sons (one of whom seems to idolize Wade) the right way to be a hero. Oh yeah, Wade’s gang of badass, evil badasses is out to set him free and a barrage of gunfire, explosions and death seems to follow wherever they go. I think it was no small coincidence, whether from the filmmakers or Mr. Leonard, that the hero here fought for the North in the Civil War and the bad guys are clearly Southern.
Christian Bale is perfect for nearly every role he plays and this is no exception. His transformation from a man of inaction to the awakened gunslinger with a mission is worth the price alone. But, you also get the always excellent Russell Crowe as a philosophical artist/outlaw. Something about Wade really makes you want to like him, but he is an evil son of a bitch (alright, maybe that’s what it is). He is charming, considerate and passionate and yet, a cold and ruthless murderer (by the way don’t EVER insult his mother). I would be remiss if I did not mention Ben Foster’s (X-Men 3, unfortunately) excellent turn as Wade’s right hand man, Charlie Prince. He is sadistic, somewhat creepy and maybe even a little light in the saddle, but extremely watchable.
This really boils down to an “anti-buddy movie” of sorts, minus the bullshit clichés. Both of the lead actors make you feel exactly why they are drawn to each other and repulsed by each other at the same time. “3:10 to Yuma” provides a perfect mix of drama, action, breath-holding suspense and even hints of humor. The undertones of temptation and faith ring throughout the film, which at its core is about two men struggling for redemption and change (thought at the beginning even they don’t realize that) and finding the perfect vehicle for their goals in each other. Don’t be a twerp and wait for DVD (or worse download it), go see this one on the big screen.
Overall rating -
-Gillman
