Morgan Bell
Kynaston
REVIEW: 3:10 To Yuma
June 13th 2008 12:45
A western for people who dont usually like westerns . . .
Directed: James Mangold (Walk The Line, Identity, Girl Interrupted, Cop Land)
Written: Michael Brandt and Derak Haas - adapted from the original 1957 screenplay/story by Halstead Welles and Elmore Leonard (Mr Majestyk, Get Shorty, Jackie Brown)
Starring: Christian Bale (Batman Begins, American Psycho, A Midsummer Nights Dream, Little Women), Russel Crowe (A Beautiful Mind, Gladiator), Logan Lerman (The Butterfly Effect, Riding In Cars With Boys), Peter Fonda (Easy Rider, Wild Hogs), Alan Tudyk (Death At A Funeral, Serenity), Ben Foster (30 Days Of Night, Get Over It)
Ben Wade (Crowe) is a criminal, Dan Evans (Bale) is a one-legged rancher in debt up to his eyeballs . . . the time is just after the American Civil War where outlaws, bandits, prospectors, and cowboys were squabbling for power and money and to make some sense out of the anarchy that uprooted a generation of Southerners and spawned the legends of the wild west . . . the difference between this film and the hundred other westerns that i havent enjoyed, two words: character development!
Evans is commissioned to help transport Wade to the station in order to catch the 3:10 train to Yuma Prison. Wade is a bored but deadly outlaw who leads a pack of ruthless killers and thieves. Once Wade is apprehended his loyal gang (including the sociopathic Foster) try to track the party of lawmen who are escorting Wade to the train (including Fonda and Tudyk), also tracking them is Evans teenage son (Lerman). Wade and Evans develop an understanding of each other as the events unfold and by the end of the film the characters have changed due to their dealings with each other.
Christian Bale is mesmerising as a man conflicted between his honest morals and regaining the respect of his family who are seeking a "hero", a status automatically granted to criminals like Wade. Russel Crowe gives a surprisingly subtle performance and is menacing in his unwavering confidence. Ben Foster is a standout as Wade's sadistic protege who will do whatever it takes to free Wade. This story is set is the west but it is relevant to today or any uncertain times. All the characters are multi-faceted and real and we are taken on an amazing journey of self-realisation which examines father/son relationships and how a man can tell what is right from what is wrong when the social fabric decays and there is no moral yardstick.
3:10 TO YUMA TRAILER
Directed: James Mangold (Walk The Line, Identity, Girl Interrupted, Cop Land)
Written: Michael Brandt and Derak Haas - adapted from the original 1957 screenplay/story by Halstead Welles and Elmore Leonard (Mr Majestyk, Get Shorty, Jackie Brown)
Starring: Christian Bale (Batman Begins, American Psycho, A Midsummer Nights Dream, Little Women), Russel Crowe (A Beautiful Mind, Gladiator), Logan Lerman (The Butterfly Effect, Riding In Cars With Boys), Peter Fonda (Easy Rider, Wild Hogs), Alan Tudyk (Death At A Funeral, Serenity), Ben Foster (30 Days Of Night, Get Over It)
Ben Wade (Crowe) is a criminal, Dan Evans (Bale) is a one-legged rancher in debt up to his eyeballs . . . the time is just after the American Civil War where outlaws, bandits, prospectors, and cowboys were squabbling for power and money and to make some sense out of the anarchy that uprooted a generation of Southerners and spawned the legends of the wild west . . . the difference between this film and the hundred other westerns that i havent enjoyed, two words: character development!
Evans is commissioned to help transport Wade to the station in order to catch the 3:10 train to Yuma Prison. Wade is a bored but deadly outlaw who leads a pack of ruthless killers and thieves. Once Wade is apprehended his loyal gang (including the sociopathic Foster) try to track the party of lawmen who are escorting Wade to the train (including Fonda and Tudyk), also tracking them is Evans teenage son (Lerman). Wade and Evans develop an understanding of each other as the events unfold and by the end of the film the characters have changed due to their dealings with each other.
Christian Bale is mesmerising as a man conflicted between his honest morals and regaining the respect of his family who are seeking a "hero", a status automatically granted to criminals like Wade. Russel Crowe gives a surprisingly subtle performance and is menacing in his unwavering confidence. Ben Foster is a standout as Wade's sadistic protege who will do whatever it takes to free Wade. This story is set is the west but it is relevant to today or any uncertain times. All the characters are multi-faceted and real and we are taken on an amazing journey of self-realisation which examines father/son relationships and how a man can tell what is right from what is wrong when the social fabric decays and there is no moral yardstick.
3:10 TO YUMA TRAILER
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Comment by Jason King
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Cool review!!
Comment by Morgan Bell
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good to know someones reading! haha
i think Ben Foster has a really huge career ahead of him as the deranged scary guy! did you see him in 30 Days Of Night?
this was the movie i wanted The Assassination of Jesse James and No Country For Old Men to be . . . i really rate Mangold as a director, i think he finds the characters in any story . . . apparently Cop Land was a modernisation of 3:10 To Yuma so id say Mangold is a bit of a fan of the original!
Comment by Jason King
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I loved 30 Days of Night - always like a good vampire flick. Ben Foster was a a presence in that too but not nearly as chilling. The way the camera catches his green eyes in the sunlight when he is burning the guy alive in the background. Brilliant.
If you have not seen it - my all time fave Western is "The Unforgiven" or maybe just "Unforgiven" It's amazing and I think it cleaned up some academy awards for Clint.
I have to say though - I just LOVED Jesse James!!!
Comment by Morgan Bell
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i can see why people say these films have similar themes, all the morals and lawlessness!
i really like Ben Foster whole outfit in Yuma aswell . . . dont be surprised if you start seeing me walking around in his clothes haha . . . so impressed!
Comment by Tracy
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I'm convinced, it's on my to-see list
Tracy
Comment by Morgan Bell
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oh goodie! haha i hope you enjoy it!
Comment by Tracy
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Byeee
Comment by JohnDoe
Film & TV on DVD
I was a huge fan of the original 3.10 to Yuma so it was with hesitation I approached the remake and I do agree it had some positive elements.
The cinematography and editing was brilliant. The script had some interesting interaction.
My main problem with the film was that all the cast looked authentic, liked they had been living on the frontier straight out of Deadwood...then there was Russel Crowe dressed like a dandy with hair perfectly coifed in every scene and I found myself laughing at his attempts at villliany. He stood out like a sore thumb amongst such talented performers. (Ben Foster steals it out from under him for sure)
The other glaring problem was the inconsistent plot, for example after emphasising just how physically handicapped Bale is for most of the film he miraculously is capable of leaping from rooftops, jumping running and rolling without any explanation. Don't get me started on how quickly people recover from gunshots in the movie either.
So overall 3.10 to Yuma the remake is not a bad film but fails to stand up to repeat viewings. In the end it didn't address the intriguing issues of a good man with bad man's psychology as well as its source.
Comment by Morgan Bell
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now that you mention it, the handi-capped leg DID come and go! well spotted!
if it was intentional perhaps it was designed to show how much of his disability was psychological, he had no confidence and a sullen attitude earlier in the film and felt like a victim, but that "perfectly coifed" (haha you have a way with words) Russell Crowe made him believe in himself?
just a theory . . .
maybe Russell was so immaculately dressed and groomed because he had so much money from robbing people and could afford regular showers at the whorehouse? lol
thanks for the comment, i will have to see the original
Comment by JohnDoe
Film & TV on DVD
I tried to believe it was self confidence that healed bale, but it juts didn't fit with other moments earlier and contardicted much of the script and importantly character points.....
As for Rusty looking pretty, I came to the same conclusion, then realised they were out in no man's land for a long while there and everyone else seemed to get dirtier except him, either way he just wasn't authentic compared to every one else in the film...don't get me started on the inconsitencies of his perfromance, let's just say teh man can not bluff!
Comment by Morgan Bell
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i saw the featurettes on the DVD and apparently they had to wrap up shooting quickly and often only had single takes in the gun shooting scenes due to budget constraints . . . so perhaps these little inconsistancies really are sloppiness
im not a fan of Russell Crowe (or Rusty as you so affectionately call him haha) as i think he suffers from "Mel Gibson syndrome" where he thinks he is larger than life and angles to have his face in shot more than is necessary . . . however, i actually liked him in this because i thought he was genuinely menacing . . . he should play more supporting cast character roles like this an try to deflate his bulbous ego