Critic Reviews
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Bob Mondello, NPR.org
Nothing terribly original happens in this remake of a 1957 semi-classic that starred Glenn Ford and Van Heflin, but everything happens smoothly and with grace.
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David Fear, Time Out New York
Having the chutzpah to make a straightforward, unself-aware oater feels downright revolutionary. Whether that's enough to justify this enterprise, however, is debatable.
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Mark Bourne, Film.com
Mangold's film is more than sufficiently subtexty and cynical for our modern sensibilities while simultaneously embracing Mangold's obvious pleasure in the Westerns' time-honored swinging saloon doors and stern masculine traditions.
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Trevor Johnston, Time Out
The two leads' sparking byplay, Crowe's addled cockiness versus Bale's nervy grit, would grace any surroundings, but it's a pleasure to revisit the frontier in a drama which feels far more vital than mere nostalgic homage.
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Tom Charity, CNN.com
James Mangold's expert and entertaining 3:10 to Yuma demonstrates both the Western's age-old appeal, and the problems it presents to a contemporary filmmaker.
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David Edelstein, New York Magazine
The editing is tense and there's mucho splatter but the climax is unforgivable for reasons I can't spell out -- and owes something to a recent picture I can't name.
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Ed Gonzalez, Slant Magazine
This gorgeous Criterion transfer makes a convincing case for the underrated 3:10 to Yuma.
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Ali Gray, TheShiznit.co.uk
Elevated above the usual fare by an engaging and complex relationship between its two stars, 3:10 To Yuma would be a thoroughly entertaining two hours whatever the genre - the Western setting is almost a bonus.
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Ben Rawson-Jones, Digital Spy
The real thrill of the film lies in watching these two men, sat on various sides of the moral fence, gradually converge and respect each other.
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Joshua Starnes, ComingSoon.net
3:10 to Yuma is as heavy on character as it sounds like it should be ... and still a rip-roaring adventure around it; until it all gets away from director James Mangold in a crashing heap of unlikely motivation and flawed decisions.
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Kelly Vance, East Bay Express
Director James Mangold amps up the blood and thunder without sacrificing the moral complexity of Elmore Leonard's original short story.
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Matthew Pejkovic, Matt's Movie Reviews
3:10 to Yuma confirms that the western is alive and kicking with a vengeance.
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Brett Michel, Boston Phoenix
Bale and Crowe are superlative, but Mangold's rote, banal expansion never quickens the pulse.
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Geoffrey Macnab, Sight and Sound
It is part of the richness of 3.10 to Yuma that this is a classical piece of storytelling with themes and characters that can be found in the very earliest Westerns.
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Ian Buckwalter, DCist
Mangold's direction is effective, if unobtrusive, and the dusty deserts of the American west continue to provide a cinematic palette that fails to run dry.
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Fernando F. Croce, CinePassion
Gives "solid craftsmanship" a dreary name
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Anders Wotzke, Moviedex
Pays homage to the classic Western by staying true to genre conventions, but does so with a fresh set of eyes that gives the film a welcome place in a modern multiplex.
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Mike Scott, Times-Picayune
Fifty years have elapsed since 3:10 to Yuma last pulled into the station, but, man, the return trip is worth the wait.
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Dragan Antulov, Index.hr
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Ross Anthony, Hollywood Report Card
First 1.5 hours are slow, preposterously scripted, and short of powerful dialogue. I liked the ending though.
Read all 23 critic reviews
Featured Audience Ratings
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Christian Bale continues to shine as one of his generations best.
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3:10 To Yuma is a remake of the 1957 Glenn Ford western in which an honest rancher injured in the civil war takes on the job of escorting a notorious outlaw to the prison train in order to save his family's ranch from the railroad. This film really does retain the spirit of the… More
3:10 To Yuma is a remake of the 1957 Glenn Ford western in which an honest rancher injured in the civil war takes on the job of escorting a notorious outlaw to the prison train in order to save his family's ranch from the railroad. This film really does retain the spirit of the original as it has a real old-fashioned feel to it. The direction is glossy rather than gritty and the story of two contrasting personalities learning mutual respect under adverse circumstances is hardly a new one. But Bale and Crowe put in a couple of great performances, bolstering the rather workmanlike themes; Bale's down at heel working man trying to find some self respect and Crowe's educated and charming but ruthless outlaw spark off some really good chemistry, particularly during the great showdown finale. It probably won't win over anybody who does not like traditional westerns but it's a very well executed and enjoyable tale for those who do.
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incredibly deep character study. loved the ending. not a very typical blockbuster western movie. i loved the cinematography and style. unfortunately, lacking technicalities, pacing issues, and a restricted freedom to delve into its interesting theme prevent "3:10 to Yuma" to… More
incredibly deep character study. loved the ending. not a very typical blockbuster western movie. i loved the cinematography and style. unfortunately, lacking technicalities, pacing issues, and a restricted freedom to delve into its interesting theme prevent "3:10 to Yuma" to be a masterpiece. But yes, it's that good. i highly recommend watching this incredible movie.
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Hmmm not as good as I expected it to be, it looks fantastic and the cast are very good but its just dull dull dull! the beginning and end gun fights are very good but the rest is uneventful. The robbers aren't really that intense and the law are abit too wet haha I have never… More
Hmmm not as good as I expected it to be, it looks fantastic and the cast are very good but its just dull dull dull! the beginning and end gun fights are very good but the rest is uneventful. The robbers aren't really that intense and the law are abit too wet haha I have never really liked westerns to be honest, they are all very much the same plot wise and this is no different. Its a good film but nothing special, the cast outweighs the movie in my humble opinion.
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Good remake. Good cast. Christian - a poor rancher is offered money to hold and transport an outlaw - Russell to a train bound for the jail in Yuma. Both characters aren't what they first appear. Russell maybe a notorious ruthless outlaw by profession, perhaps by necessity in the… More
Good remake. Good cast. Christian - a poor rancher is offered money to hold and transport an outlaw - Russell to a train bound for the jail in Yuma. Both characters aren't what they first appear. Russell maybe a notorious ruthless outlaw by profession, perhaps by necessity in the wild west but he has a much deeper side to him. Christian appears to be a stubborn rancher who refuses to move off his unproductive land, but he does it for his family.
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After 'The Proposition' I decided to watch another western. The closest one to hand was '3:10 to Yuma', I put it in not expecting much but 2 hours later I was very pleasently pleased.
First of all '3:10 to Yuma' is better then 'The… More
After 'The Proposition' I decided to watch another western. The closest one to hand was '3:10 to Yuma', I put it in not expecting much but 2 hours later I was very pleasently pleased.
First of all '3:10 to Yuma' is better then 'The Proposition', although just as slow towards the begininning '3:10 to Yuma' has a more exciting premise and was more gripping. As well as being a better story '3:10 to Yuma' also has better characters, especially Russel Crowe's character, who is a charasmatic killer who needs to be transported to a train station by a group of police and do-gooders, one of whom is Christian Bale. I have never really been a big fan of Bale, It's not that I think he can't act (I like his films) it's just that he comes across as a bit of a prick, after '3:10 to Yuma' I feel a bit different about the subject though (maybe it's because his character is so nice?)
Another aspect of the story revolves around Bale's family, his son in particular who believes his fater isn't capable of anything and decides to sneak along behind his father on his journey. Throughout the film you discover how Bale's son is very much like Crowe's character and this makes for an intersting dynamic.
The film also follows Crowe's old gang who are trying to rescue him and reeking havok at the same time, while this is going on though Crowe's character develops an unlikely connection to Bale's which impacts the rest of the film immensely.
The end of the film starts of as just a big shootout while Crowe's gang try to rescue him, it turns into something so much better then that, it was like a 'Devil's Rejects' moment and was extremely enjoyable to watch, overall it really wraps up the film nicely.'3:10 to Yuma' is probably the most enjoyable western I have seen to date, it generally surprised me.
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My favorite western and one of my favorite movies! Great acting with tons of action!
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James Mangold's '3:10 to Yuma' may lose its touch at certain spots along the ride, but a visceral climax puts it back on track. The performances are excellent, the cinematography is beautiful, and the suspense is fierce. The film reminds you of classics such as… More
James Mangold's '3:10 to Yuma' may lose its touch at certain spots along the ride, but a visceral climax puts it back on track. The performances are excellent, the cinematography is beautiful, and the suspense is fierce. The film reminds you of classics such as 'High Noon' with its meaningful use of Time, and 'Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid' with a likable duo and adventurous journey. '3:10 to Yuma' may not pack every possible punch, but when it does, it knocks you off your feet. Another reason why 2007 was a brilliant year for movies.
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3:10 To Yuma is going to be a classic western in a few years, and if you see it you'll know why. 3:10 To Yuma is about a criminal named Ben Wade (Russell Crowe) who gets caught by the law enforcement and is to be sent to a train to Yuma Prison at 3:10. Dan Evans (Christian… More
3:10 To Yuma is going to be a classic western in a few years, and if you see it you'll know why. 3:10 To Yuma is about a criminal named Ben Wade (Russell Crowe) who gets caught by the law enforcement and is to be sent to a train to Yuma Prison at 3:10. Dan Evans (Christian Bale) is leading the group taking him, and along the way the two men become enemies, friends, and allies. But in the end they must work together to save their skins. The plot is a ingenius thriller and a great action film, and is for hardcore western fans. Russell Crowe and hristian Bale are great together, I can really see them in more movies together because the great intensity on screen was like the Batman/Joker interrogation scene in The Dark Knight, it just blows your mind. Action is great and production is great to make this feel like a legiit western movie, and one of my favorite films.
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Who would have thought Christian Bale in a western movie would be so fantastic? I certainly didn't. But after seeing the movie on USA, God am I impressed. It might very well be the best Western of all time, beating out Ride with the Devil and Billy and the Sundance Kid.
The… More
Who would have thought Christian Bale in a western movie would be so fantastic? I certainly didn't. But after seeing the movie on USA, God am I impressed. It might very well be the best Western of all time, beating out Ride with the Devil and Billy and the Sundance Kid.
The most important piece in the movie is the relationship between the former soldier and the outlaw is what makes the movie so good. One minute, they'll put a bullet in each other. The next they'd take a bullet for each other.
While Russell Crowe did a pretty good job, what makes this movie so incredible is Christian Bale. He should have gotten 10 oscars for his role as Dan Evans. It was emotional and very realistic. Logan Lerman was pretty good too, even for a child actor. He does a great job playing a complicated young character. However, who did one of the best jobs? Ben Foster, as the diabolocal outlaw trying to get back Ben Wade. His role is comparable to Heath Ledger as the Joker.
There were plenty of lines that were extremely powerful and emotional. I admit that I cried when Dan had to tell his son Will to leave him.
Speaking of Will and Dan, this movie was chocfull of interesting characters. Will has a very interesting love/hate relationship with Dan, and we see that grow into a great respect and friendship later on.
However, there is one thing keeping this movie from a 100% I didn;t really get the ending, where Russell Crowe goes on the train to his execution. It would have been better if he walked of into the distance or something like that.
Overrall, Yuma was definately one of the best movies of 2007, and it will have your heart pounding all the way. It has the complexity of the Watchmen, as well as it's appeal. A very, very good movie.
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This movie has taken away my western virginity, and what a great first it turned out to be! Tense, magnetic performances by Crowe and Bale. What I love about this movie is how so much is left unsaid but you know EXACTLY what the characters are thinking. If you think about it, Bale… More
This movie has taken away my western virginity, and what a great first it turned out to be! Tense, magnetic performances by Crowe and Bale. What I love about this movie is how so much is left unsaid but you know EXACTLY what the characters are thinking. If you think about it, Bale hardly says anything but his facial expressions and the way the camera pans in and out of a scene contribute so much to how we perceive things.
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A refreshing, old-school western with sharp performances from Russell Crowe and Christian Bale, plenty of gun-slinging action, and surprisingly emotionally-resonant direction.
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A really sad yet enjoyable movie which takes you across the wild west. Amazing settings and really great acting tops the narrative off. I felt really involoved and cared about the characters so when Dan died I felt so terrible. Despite the sad ending a good watch.
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A very good western by todays standards and better than a few I have seen recently. Much more like an old school western like The outlaw Josey Wales. Good performances all round and plenty of action along the way.
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After his Oscar winning "Walk the Line", director James Mangold got on the saddle to direct this adaptation of Elmore Leonard's western (filmed once before in 1957 with Glenn Ford). He employs two fine actors for the lead roles but even they can't help with a… More
After his Oscar winning "Walk the Line", director James Mangold got on the saddle to direct this adaptation of Elmore Leonard's western (filmed once before in 1957 with Glenn Ford). He employs two fine actors for the lead roles but even they can't help with a script that has more gaping holes than you can shake a ten-gallon hat at.
When notorious outlaw Ben Wade (Russell Crowe) is captured, a posse is thrown together - including penniless rancher Dan Evans (Christian Bale) - to escort him to the town of 'Contention', where the 3:10 train to Yuma prison will arrive. Getting there is no easy task though, especially when Wade's gang are determined to rescue him.
This is a western that certainly looks like a potential classic. It has great performances; a keen eye and feel for detail; beautiful cinematography and it's based on the easily adaptable writer Elmore Leonard's book. So what went wrong? Well, for a start it could have been doing with a script that wasn't so ridiculous and insulting. Granted, the movie starts off great and really looks like it's going somewhere. Suddenly Crowe's character begins to show a different, more sensitive side, other than the ruthless murderer we were introduced to and the film goes in a completely different direction, with the last 15 mins or so completely unintelligible. Crowe and Bale put in good performances and work well together but when a script stinks, there's not much the actors can do to save it.
It starts off very promising indeed, before resorting to ludicrous plot developments, ruining what could have been a fine addition to the genre.
3:10 to Yuma? It's a shame Crowe and Bale couldn't have caught the earlier train.
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Although I'm not easily attracted to westerns, I liked this one reasonably well. The story has nothing much new to offer, but it kept me engaged till...
I guess acting played the main role behind my appreciation for this film. I'd never imagined Russell Crowe in a negative… More
Although I'm not easily attracted to westerns, I liked this one reasonably well. The story has nothing much new to offer, but it kept me engaged till...
I guess acting played the main role behind my appreciation for this film. I'd never imagined Russell Crowe in a negative role. Kudos to the director for taking out the best from him (of course, that's limited to my opinion). Christian Bale, as he does in most of his movies I've seen, gives a credible performance in a side role. The dialogues are excellently penned and some of the conversation between Ben (Crowe) and Dan (Bale) is outstanding. As mentioned above, the movie has nothing unusual, but goes on quiet well only to spoil the fun towards the ending. I happen to fall under the group that hated the end. I can understand the defiance of logic in movies, but suspension of disbelief doesn't work if the execution is done extremely illogically. I wonder what made them go for such a stupefying ending. Had the ending been better, I would have rated the movie 4 or 4.5/5.
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I used to say that I hate Westerns thanks to this and Unforgiven I have no amended that to I hate spaghetti Westerns. Which is true. And I don't see that changing.
First of all Crowe and Bale were just magical. I mean wow. Especially the ending. It was perfect. And oddly enough,… More
I used to say that I hate Westerns thanks to this and Unforgiven I have no amended that to I hate spaghetti Westerns. Which is true. And I don't see that changing.
First of all Crowe and Bale were just magical. I mean wow. Especially the ending. It was perfect. And oddly enough, Ben Foster's character and acting was just compelling. Something about his expression, mannerisms, everything made me like him even though he was the bad guy. Lerman (I do have a big ole soft spot for him) was great as well. The optimist, bright-eyed youth. Love it. The story and characterization was just perfect. Completely perfect. Pretty good rating for a girl who doesn't like Westerns...
AC rating: This has got to be one of the best commentaries I have heard. It was rich, relevant and interesting. Not only about story, talent, locations, but the many production problems and changes through out the process. Really very interesting! I would actually listen to this again.
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If there are two actors that epitomize the public's inability to separate personal and professional behavior, they are Russell Crowe and Christian Bale. Both are infamous for their bad behavior (Bale's Terminator tirade, Crowe's phone-throwing, kidnapping antics), but… More
If there are two actors that epitomize the public's inability to separate personal and professional behavior, they are Russell Crowe and Christian Bale. Both are infamous for their bad behavior (Bale's Terminator tirade, Crowe's phone-throwing, kidnapping antics), but both are also insanely talented performers.
While in the Golden days of Hollywood bad boy actors were embraced and sought (James Dean, Marlon Brando), today those actors struggle to become box office kings. Bale depends heavily on material - his success with "Dark Knight" can arguably be attributed to Nolan's amazing vision and Ledger's award-winning performance, but his name does not carry an A-listers ability to open a film to great heights. And it doesn't matter how well reviewed a Russell Crowe movie is, chances are it won't have a great reception at the box office.
"3:10 to Yuma" is a solid example of Crowe/Bale's lack of box office clout. A tremendous modernization of the Western genre, "Yuma" plays with the notion of heroism and villainy and wraps this emotional center with an electrifying action film. Ben Foster, who epitomizes true evil in the film, is amazing.
James Mangold is a director who tends to fluff his source material even if it's meant to be gritty (see "Cop Land" and the could've been darker "Walk the Line"), but his three actors provide the dimension and gravitas that a film like "Yuma" needs and deliver. Still despite "Yuma"'s strengths, the film only managed $53 million in domestic box office lower than it's $55 million budget.
So if you can, remove your personal distaste for Crowe/Bale's personal antics and take a look at this amazing reinvention of the Western, it's well worth it.
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Not as great as the Sergio Leone Western, but still pretty enjoyable. Russell Crowe and Christian Bale deliver terrific performances, and the film brings back elements of some of the best westerns ever made. However 3:10 To Yuma is not the traditional Sergio Leone Western, and it… More
Not as great as the Sergio Leone Western, but still pretty enjoyable. Russell Crowe and Christian Bale deliver terrific performances, and the film brings back elements of some of the best westerns ever made. However 3:10 To Yuma is not the traditional Sergio Leone Western, and it won't enter Cimematic history as a legendary film, but for what it is, Yuma does manage to offer good Ol' fasioned Western action and shootouts. The Western film is almost a lost At of Cinematic poetry. No one really cares about this genre anymores. Though the greatest Westerns have already been made (Once Upon A Time In The West, The Good, The Bad And The Ugly) this remake can echo the tradition of fine Westerns. But like I said twi:10 To Yuma will never be as great as the Westerns made by Sergio Leone. Fairly good attampt, but not even close at capturing the esscence of old school Westerns.
Read all 20 featured audience ratings
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