3:10 to Yuma
This was a very well done remake of the 1957 western by the same name. It isn't Gunsmoke or Bonanza - there are no women in fancy dresses skirting around, no romance to really speak of, and no poker games in session. What it does have is superior acting by both Russell Crowe as uber-bad guy Ben Wade, and Christian Bale as Dan Evans, a down-on-his-luck-losing-the-farm rancher who agrees to bring outlaw Wade to the train (the 3:10 of course) to Yuma prison.
What occurs within the film is a bonding of the two men, whether they liked it or not. Crowe obviously is the star here, given most of the good lines - which he delivers with relish. But his eyes can tell a story before he says a word.
He plays Wade as a true criminal, heartless at times but with just a touch of sympathy. I would have chosen the villaneous Crowe over the good-guy Bale any day! But hey, that's me.
Don't fret though, there are enough gunfights, robberies, swift chases, barns on fire, Indians, whiskey, campfires, and more than enough shoot-outs to make any fan who thought Westerns were dead rejoice. But there is also wonderful supporting acting, a thoughtful script adaptation, careful attention to detail, and a great last 15 minutes!
Absolutely check it out.
1 comment:
We just watched that today! I really liked it. We also say the 1957 version because I put in on my Netflix queue first on accident!
Post a Comment