3:10 to Yuma Review
by Homer Yen (homer_yen AT yahoo DOT com)September 23rd, 2007
"3:10 to Yuma" - Soul Train
by Homer Yen
(c) 2007
When I describe "3:10 to Yuma" as a classic story
of good and evil in post-Civil War west, I can
use the word 'classic' because this is a remake
of a film that was originally seen in the 1950s.
Back then, this type of story featuring men with
various good and evil intentions may have been
commonplace. But in today's growing climate of
absurdity and implausibility, this film seems
like a throwback to yesteryear making an
otherwise somewhat dull film kind of refreshing.
Thanks to a great cast, led by Christian Bale as
rancher Dan Evans and Russell Crowe as outlaw Ben
Wade, there is the feeling that the film could
explode into something big at any moment. (psst
- however, it never reaches those heights). When
we are introduced to Wade, he is patiently
sketching a nearby perched bird. We can see that
Wade is no ordinary ornery villain. He is
patient, observant, and calculative. He leads,
however, a band of self-serving cutthroats. At
the outset of the film, they attack a well-armed
stagecoach that is transporting a huge sum of
money.
Evans, along with his two young boys, happens to
witness the brazen and ruthless robbery. At
first, it's a chance meeting between our two main
characters. Few words are exchanged. Evans
respects Wade's hubris while wanting to protect
his boys from harm. Wade respects the fact that
Evans is just an innocent bystander. Later on,
the two meet again. Wade has been caught at a
nearby town and the local law is looking for
volunteers to help escort the notorious outlaw.
Evans has been stricken with poverty. He's tired
of not feeling worthy of his boys' love. He's
tired of the lack of respect that he feels for
himself. Perhaps he needs this job, though
dangerous, to redeem himself.
The most exciting stuff, unfortunately, happens
in the first 20 minutes of the film. For the
remainder, the story focuses on the rancher's
motivation to undertake such a dangerous task as
well as his desire to be the kind of man that all
boys deserve. He trades dialogue with the
outlaw. And, we see that Wade is not what one
would expect from a killer. He has a tender
side, a moral side, a fiercely intelligent side.
They spend three contentious days together as
they avoid other posses, aggressive Indians, and
being each other's friend.
Both Bale and Crowe give effective performances.
Bale conveys both desperation and nobility while
Crowe lives into his role with gusto. But they
are both outshined by Ben Foster, who plays
Wade's second-in-command named Charlie Prince.
He's a gun-happy psychopath who always postures
menacingly and is just plain 'ol disconcerting to
be around.
Despite the fine acting, "3:10 to Yuma" doesn't
pick up enough steam. With a deadline looming
for our hero, you never quite feel the urgency.
In fact, I feel more tension trying to catch the
metro to work. And those trains approach the
platform every three minutes! Here, it's
critical for Dan to get Ben onto the prison
train. And, I'm not feeling the build-up. As a
Western, it's a refreshing project in a landscape
of sophomoric comedies and orgiastic
shoot-em-ups. Yet, while it's better than ok,
it's not emphatically good.
Grade: B-
S: 1 out of 3
L: 2 out of 3
V: 3 out of 3
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