3:10 To Yuma on DVD (2007)

brokeback mountain had tougher cowboys than this film

A customer from Kent , 18/02/2008

1 not a western

2 badly acted

3 russel crowe played a soft outlaw who was sensitive and caring.

4 any action was overcome by the strange story line

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3:10 To Yuma

SAI81 from Tonbridge [Highly rated reviewer] , 14/10/2007

Few things make me more concerned for the future of cinema than the all-pervasive trend for remakes currently sweeping Hollywood. Okay so there’s the odd good one but for every Dawn of the Dead there’s a Black Christmas, and a Hitcher, a Fog and… you get the point. So we arrive at the question of what the hell I’m doing at the screening of a remake, of a Western (a genre I’ve no time for) or indeed at a film starring Russell Crowe (who, LA Confidential aside, I’ve never liked in a movie, ever). I can’t really give you an answer other than ‘It was what was on’ but I’m glad I did sit down for this one, as it was one of the biggest and best surprises that 2007 has yet offered up at the movies.

This is an old fashioned oater, drawn from a short story by Elmore Leonard.

Crowe plays Ben Wade, an outlaw finally captured and headed to the titular train for transportation to prison and then the gallows. Bale is Dan Evans, a farmer who volunteers to join the party escorting Wade because he needs the reward money to keep his land. The party make their two-day journey, pursued by Wade’s gang now led by Charlie Prince (Foster).

Christian Bale is one of the most versatile actors in the world right now and even when he’s in a film I’m not overly keen on Bale is always good value. 3:10 provides his best performance in a good while. He reveals Dan slowly, building each new scrap of information into a complex, real and utterly compelling character. Crowe is also excellent. I’ve been used to seeing him coast but here he brings real progression to Wade’s character. The scripted change in the man could easily have been forced but Crowe makes it feel organic and his chemistry with Bale works beautifully, giving the film a rock solid centre.

Among a clutch of great supporting performances it is well worth singling out Ben Foster’s sociopathic Charlie Prince. I only previously know Foster from the guiltiest of pleasures; Get Over It so to see him disappear behind an untidy beard and create one of the out and out scariest, most hateable screen villains of recent times was a real shock. It’s a career maker. There’s also nice work from 15-year-old Logan Lerman as Bale’s son.

Mangold, together with his regular cinematographer Phedon Papamichael, has created a great looking film. There’s a dirty realism to everything even as the film captures the gorgeous locations. It’s kinetic too, the action beats come pretty thick and fast and are varied, exciting and visceral. There are stand out moments right from the start when a robbery establishes that Ben Wade is not one of those villains with a well hidden heart of gold to the near unbearably tense final shootout as Dan escorts Wade to the 3:10 to Yuma. This is the antithesis of Shoot ‘Em Up. Everyone that dies here is a real person, each bullet has consequences and the business of killing is never fun.

3:10 To Yuma is a great film, and yet more evidence that James Mangold is a consistent talent who is able to bring expertise to just about any genre.

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The Western is back..with a bang (well several actually).

PaulaWestwood from Ashton-Under-Lyne [Highly rated reviewer] , 16/09/2007

Not since Clint and Eli Wallach wore chaps has there been a better cowie film, I'm saddle sore just from the seat edge action watching this. In any case, regardless of it being a western, this is a really good story, an excellent chase, and a superb shoot em up. To be honest my partner doesn't like westerns, but thought this was a really great film, it is definately worth a watch. In addition Christian Bale and Russel Crowe are on top of their game, and must definately be a couple of the best screen actors around right now. l would saddle up and ride to dodge if you have to, to catch this one.

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Almost

Adrian McMahon from London [Highly rated reviewer] , 06/02/2008

First up, I can't really fault the acting at all, Christian Bale delivers probably the best performance in this film, letting his character develop slowly into a fully rounded character. Even Russell Crowe is a lot more restrained than some of his other films, and is probably the best performance I've seen him deliver since LA Confidential. I really wanted to like this film, but it ended with me feeling very underwhelmed by it all. It has all the ingredients to make a near perfect film, but somehow manages to throw away all the tension and character development in the last 15 minutes. It just doesn't equal the sum of it's parts. A seriously missed opportunity to make a great film, which is probably why I've marked it so harshly.

I'd recommend watching nevertheless and making your own mind up.

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Pretentious Western

A customer from Wales , 27/02/2008

AVOID AT ALL COST.

A very poor remake, with none of the promise that the original had, and a snail like pace. Not a 'western' in the true sense, but a failed thriller clasping to the reputation of the original, and failing miserably to deliver in style or cohesion.

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Yeeehaaw!

Pat Niles from London, England , 16/07/2008

Great film! But its a bloke's film for us blokes to enjoy.

Not once does anyone say 'We'll head 'em off at the pass' though.

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