Recent Reviews for 3:10 to Yuma (2007)
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MCT:July 23, 2008I've never been one for westerns, but I really enjoyed this movie. Russell Crowe and Christian Bale were spectacular in their seperate roles. Christian Bale, as always, was amazing. His character's struggles to try and live up to his sons' expectations of him and just trying to make it through the next day just left you with such a human image of a man. Then there's Crowe. His character just seemed complicated and I loved how he portrayed him. I kept trying to find reasons to root for his character, but after a few failed attempts I finally gave up about half way through the movie. He wasn't an outlaw that you see in your average movie. He was ruthless and cruel, even to his own men until the very end. I thought the relationship between Crowe's character and Bale's was interesting. *SPOILER* I really liked the ending, as sad as it was. When Wade yelled "NO!" after Evan's was shot, you could tell just how much he respected that man. Ben foster was also a treat to watch perform. I haven't seen very many of his movies but I thought he did an excellent job in this film.
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MCT:July 22, 2008Not a big fan of the genre but this was just WOW !!
Christian Bale's performance was more than magnificant, whenever he was in a scene I felt totally detached from everything else to focus on what he was doing !
Never really liked Russel Crowe but he was perfect for his role too..
Simply a must see.. -
MCT:July 21, 2008
This was a great movie, I thought it had a great storyline and was well done. Russell Crowe and Christian Bale made a great team. Overall i would give it a B+
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MCT:July 20, 2008
A great movie. Stunning performances from both Bale and Crowe. As good as any classic western I've seen.
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The classic western done right. Both Christian Bale and Russel Crowe's performances are excellant. Although Russel Crowe's character is a notorious murderer you somehow come to like and care for him. I don't think enough credit was given to Logan Lerman you gave an amazing and moving performance.
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MCT:July 19, 2008A small-time rancher agrees to hold a captured outlaw who's awaiting a train to go to court in Yuma. A battle of wills ensues as the outlaw tries to psych out the rancher.*
3:10 To Yuma Follows Dan Evans Who Agrees To Escort Famed Outlaw Ben Wade To The 3:10 To Yuma Train For A Reward of $200. This Is A Classic American Film From Director James Mangold. I'll Personally Sit Through Any Film With Russell Crowe, He's Extremely Gifted And Gives An Incendiary Performance. Christian Bale Is Just As Good, And Alan Tudyk Makes A Nice Appearance Here As Well. 3:10 To Yuma Is An Intense, Thrilling, And Suspenseful Film. James Mangold Has Become One of My Favorite FilmMakers. A Superb Achievement. Brilliantly Made And Superbly Crafted.*
"I'm gonna be a day behind you, William. Unless something happens, and if it does, I need a man at the ranch to run things, protect our family, and I know that you can do that because you've become a fine man, William. You've become a fine man. You got all the best parts of me. What few there are."*
"I ain't never been no hero, Wade. The only battle I seen, we was in retreat. My foot got shot off by one of my own men. You try telling that story to your boy. See how he he looks at you then."*
"You ever read the bible, Dan? I read it one time. I was eight years old. My daddy just got hisself killed over a shot of whiskey and my mama said "we're going back East to start over". So she gave me a bible, sat me down in the train station, told me to read it. She was gonna get our tickets. Well, I did what she said. I read that bible from cover to cover. It took me three days. She never came back."*
Russell Crowe And Christian Bale Are Exceptional In This Film. 3:10 To Yuma Is A Film That Will Stay With You Long After Its Over. A Compelling, Mesmerizing, And Spellbinding Experience. Completely Gripping And Riveting From Beginning To End. No Words of Mine Can Describe How Amazing This Film Really Is. James Mangold Has Crafted A Masterwork. Crowe Is Incredible, Bale Is Phenomenal. 3:10 To Yuma Is One of My Favorites, And The Finest Western Ive Ever Seen. A Perfect Example of Truly Flawless FilmMaking. A Phenomenal, Incredible Achievement. I Love It. A Flawless Film... -
MCT:July 19, 2008
Can't remmember if I saw the 1st version,but I really liked this one!
It starts a bit like a typical Western,where te bad guys are really bad and the good ones,really good,but as the film goes by things are changing,and at the end we see that the two "heroes" suffer from a bad father/son relationship,and it influences this story,or is it the subject of the whole film?
The actors are great,Crowe & Bale are flawless to me, and a special mention to Ben Foster, I never thought when watching the 3rd X-men that he had it in him! -
MCT:July 17, 2008
WOW. This movie gives me chills at a lot of moments. The story is beautiful, the scenery is incredible, the cast is outstanding and spectacular, especially the *bad* side (crowe and foster), the music is simply sublim, well, this movie was a great western, taking me back to Leone time with some modern twist. It was an awesome journey.
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MCT:July 13, 2008
Christan Bale and Russel Crowe are the perfect fight! This is a great western movie that i thought i wouldnt enjoy. It had an incredible ending. Anyone can enjoy this! ANYONE!
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MCT:July 13, 2008
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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MCT:July 11, 2008
3:10 to Yuma introduces the Western genre to a whole generation that hasn't seen a decent Western since Tombstone and Unforgiven. The story was brilliant and the cinematography was amazing. Christian Bale and Russell Crowe gave top 5 performances of their career, and Ben Foster all but stole every scene he was in.
Even if you're not a fan of Western's you will love this smart, action packed ride. -
MCT:July 9, 2008Enjoyable remake of the 1957 western of the same name. Fails to break any new ground, but features a strong performance from Christian Bale (as intense as ever), and effortless charisma from Russell Crowe in a highly watchable western outing
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MCT:July 7, 2008
A modern western to marvel, the remake of 3:10 to Yuma is one of the most exciting film of its kind in a long time. Bale and Crowe are welcome leads, the former as the poor rancher who is offered 200 dollars to help transport a notorious outlaw to catch the '3:10 to Yuma' and the latter as the criminal in question. The pacing is snappy, the support cast superb and the visuals a treat, 3:10 to Yuma is historically accurate (with notable references to the then recent civil war and the then in power Pinkerton detective agency) and feeatures several moments of blistering, traditionally western-style shootouts.
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MCT:July 7, 2008
An absolutely perfect western, I have tried to find something I dislike about this movie and I've come up with nothing. Christian Bale and Russell Crowe are outstanding in this powerful reinvention of an already good film and story. Bale plays Dan Evans, a down-on-his-luck rancher and Civil War veteran looking for a way to prove himself to his family and earn enough money to buy his land in order to fend off the owner and his gang of thugs. Opportunity knocks when he earns the chance to transport a ruthless outlaw, Ben Wade, played to charming perfection by Russell Crowe, to a 3:10 train on its way to a prison in Yuma.
The journey is not a simple one as the outlaw outsmarts, outwits, and even seems unshaken by every member of his transport crew. While trying to keep ahead of Wade's fellow outlaws, the group also faces Indians and vigilantes.
The best stories are those in which the characters change and grow as the story unfolds. This is definitely true of this movie and Bale and Crowe show their characters' evolutions flawlessly. In the touching moment when Bale confesses the true motivation for his choices, everything changes for both men.
This is one of the best films I have ever seen and may even be my favorite western of all time. -
MCT:July 7, 2008
3:10 to yuma is probably the one of the best films of 2007. Director James Mangold ( walk the line ) does a astounding masterpiece of a remake Delmar Daves' 1957 Western of the same title which tarred Glenn Ford and Van Heflin. In this new version,which is bigger,bloodier,way noisier and more violent than the original. you might think from the beginning this might be going to be a Sergio Leone type of Western. Russell Crowe and Christian Bale were great in this film and it gives out two of one of the best performances of 2007. 3:10 to yuma is one of the best western films i have ever seen and they were right it is the best western since unforgiven and maybe some clint eastwood western films as well.
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MCT:July 6, 2008
"I'm gonna be a day behind you, William. Unless something happens, and if it does, I need a man at the ranch to run things, protect our family, and I know that you can do that because you've become a fine man, William. You've become a fine man. You got all the best parts of me. What few there are. And you just remember that your old man walked Ben Wade to that station when nobody else would."
In this current generation of cinema, hardly any people remember Delmer Daves' classic 1957 western film 3:10 to Yuma that was based on a short story by Elmore Leonard. This is an extraordinarily rare occurrence when a remake actually outshines and surpasses the original in every aspect. In a sense, James Mangold's 3:10 to Yuma symbolises a glimmer of optimism for the future of cinematic remakes. For years, Hollywood has persistently remade classic films with completely catastrophic consequences. Mangold's film also signifies a new Hollywood generation for the western genre. In 2005, Australian filmmakers reinvented the genre with The Proposition. Although this film cannot improve on the Australian production, this is a western for the history books. Critics have praised this movie as the best western since Clint Eastwood's Unforgiven (which collected the Best Picture Oscar back in the early 1990s). There can be no dispute: 3:10 to Yuma is a riveting western abundant in underlying psychological messages analogous to those present in the original. Most commendably, this remake avoids replicating the original. As an alternative the script employs roughly 30% of the 1957 film. The rest of the script builds deeper characterisations in the protagonists, and stretches out the plot for a more expanded running time of about 120 minutes (as opposed to the original's 90 minutes). Normally this could be disastrous, however to the credit of those involved the additions don't feel fabricated: they feel natural and completely fitting in this version of the story. Kudos to director Mangold for maintaining the conflict and central spirit of Daves' original, while still managing to accommodate a fairly serious expansion of a terrifically original story.
3:10 to Yuma is a character-driven western fuelled by astounding performances. The seemingly never-ending string of exposition pays off when the action kicks in. These are possibly the most intense, riveting, stimulating western action scenes the genre has ever seen. Mangold has always been a completely focused director; confident and proficient behind the camera, determinedly manufacturing fine results. The technical aptitude is palpable in all filmmaking aspects. Mangold and cinematographer Phedon Papamichael produce the amazing visuals that are assisted and complimented by the accomplished sound mix: ear shattering sound effects for the gunshots amalgamated with silent but effective music composed by Marco Beltrami. The music isn't overbearing to the point of distraction like a majority of modern action movies; instead it's subtle, exciting, powerful and artistic. The production values are a marvel to behold. A modern western will of course appear completely authentic in terms of props and costumes, and this is no exemption. The period is depicted with brutal honesty and an astronomical level of legitimacy. This portrayal will essentially transport you back to the represented time period for the film's duration. The absorbing drama mixed with this authenticity will suck you in from start to finish.
In this remake of the 1957 film, the plot remains virtually untouched. The difference is in the storytelling and the plot progression. Ben Wade (Crowe) is a notorious outlaw with a solid reputation for robbing and murdering. After Wade robs a stagecoach, he is arrested by the law and held prisoner. Rancher Dan Evans (Bale) heads into town to clarify concerns pertaining to the sake of his land when he beholds the closing events of the stagecoach robbery. Shortly thereafter, Evans is offered an immense amount of money to be among those escorting Ben Wade to the town of Contention where he will be placed on the 3:10pm train to Yuma. Once the train reaches its destination, Wade will be incarcerated. Evans' calamitous endeavour to transport Wade to the train station is in part an effort to save his land but also a component of an internal conflict to determine whether the man can prove to be more than a mere naïve rancher in the eyes of his impulsive and gun-slinging young son William Evans (Lerman). The transport to the town of Contention is perilous and overflowing with ambushes by Indians, pursuits by Wade's rancorous gang and Wade's personal manipulative and surreptitious conduct that makes the journey far more intense.
As I previously stated, 3:10 to Yuma is driven by the remarkable performances from an outstanding cast. Russell Crowe proves that he is still among the greatest actors of this generation. Crowe makes the role of Ben Wade his own. The character is endowed with additional depth in this remake, as opposed to the slightly underdeveloped outlaw in the original. Christian Bale also brings tremendous depth to the character. His version of Dan Evans is a lot stronger than the Van Heflin portrayal in Daves' 1957 version. There's excellent hostility leading to chemistry as Bale's humourless stoicism is jabbed for feebleness and mercy by Crowe's jovial, joking outlaw. Character notes are sufficient - like Dan's necessity for the approval of son William, and Ben's early abandonment - for a density that compels us to be concerned. The taut script never bogs in unnecessary analysis or sentimentality. All characters are pampered with the brutal reality from the period.
Both Crowe and Bale submit dynamite performances and execute a fine job of playing cowboy. Each actor creates depth to his character, and when you insert convincing western action, intelligent dialogue, and elegant cinematography it produces a strong western film for the ages. It's interesting to note that the evil is not drawn from Crowe's Ben Wade. Instead, Wade's motives are kept clouded with mystery until the finale while hinting that there might be a heart in him after all. The evil in the film is drawn from Ben Foster's Charlie Prince: a man who leads Wade's gang to the town of Contention for the irrevocable final stand-off. The brilliant acting never permits you to grow bored. The film is gripping and stimulating, eventually ending in an ultimately perplexing conclusion that avoids duplicating the somewhat conventional conclusion offered in the original.
Overall, 3:10 to Yuma is an extraordinarily rare event when a remake is superior to the film that spawned it. Delmar Daves' 1957 flick is still a brilliant western on its own merits, whereas James Mangold's remake improves the original in every aspect of filmmaking. 3:10 to Yuma is one of the finest westerns of this era. It's indeed an infrequent event when two groundbreaking westerns are created in the course of a few years - in this case The Proposition and 3:10 to Yuma - that rival the last truly brilliant western that was Clint Eastwood's Unforgiven. Perhaps this film represents a new Hollywood era for westerns. The filmmakers remind the audience that westerns are about old-school, gritty action scenes built around some amazing character development. This film is simply far too brilliant to miss: an enduring story that offers first-class acting, heart-racing action, mind-blowing stunts and filmmaking of the highest order. -
MCT:July 5, 2008I'm not that big on westerns (in fact, this may or may not be the only western I've actually seen...) but it was well-done. It also features some of my favoite actors, which makes it all the better.
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MCT:July 5, 2008There is nothing,except Crowe's great performance,that inspires the viewer to sit up and take notice...
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MCT:July 5, 2008
Excellently cast Western movie, down into the smallest role, outstanding cinematography, great script with characters you love to care about, a classical Western soundtrack and shootouts like they are supposed to be. Taking its time to introduce the characters, avoiding stereotypes, maybe minus the stubborn son, the movie then switches to a higher speed as the events get more dire. Especially the chemistry between Crowe and Bale is a pleasure to watch as they give some of their best performances to date. The ending is not what the average audience might expect which makes it even stronger. All you could possibly ask for in a Western - and a movie. Very impressive.
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MCT:July 4, 2008
As near to a perfect movie as can exist. Both Christian Bale and Russell Crowe are astounding, of course, however Ben Foster almost manages to steal a few scenes from Crowe as the obsessive Charlie Prince. On the technical side the camera work and sound are top notch, lending to the story without distracting. Having seen the original, which I loved also, this film may be a good argument for giving us remakes. Maybe it's worthwhile to let us see new visions of old classics.
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MCT:July 4, 2008
wasnt as true to speggetti western as i thought but as good story line about things we go thru to empress our kids
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MCT:July 3, 2008
This was fun, although I'm not a western fan, in fact I've never watched any western movies 'till now. The plot has some holes and Crowes's character confused me with some unexplained actions, but it's that kind of a movie that makes you feel not intrested about those
problems. The acting was first rate, espeacially Christian Bale and Russell Crowe, with his mix of good and bad. It's worth seeing at least for the actors. -
MCT:July 1, 2008
I went in with fairly low expectations -as I have never been a fan of the Western genre- but at the same time I still expected a reasonable film due to Russel Crowe and Christian Bale. I have also heard of the director, James Mangold, having a couple of great movies too ;)
Having said all of that, I must say that I was very pleasantly surprised. 3:10 To Yuma basically tells the story of Dan Evans (Bale), a struggling disabled rancher. In exchange for payment which will allow him to save his farm, he volunteers to escort the known infamous outlaw, Ben Wade (Crowe) onto the 1510hours (3:10) train to Yuma, for hanging. The task turns out to be an extremely dangerous mission for the escort.
The premise is simple, the developing bond and friendship between Evans and Wade - and that was more than enough, in my opinion. I loved the ending of this film, as unrealistic as it was. It made the whole journey worthwhile - there is no clear theme of redemption, guilt, atonement, friendship or loyalty in the picture; all those themes are there, but this is not the film that they are explored in.
So, don't discount this film simply because it is a Western. I'll surely watch another couple of movies by James Mangold, the acting is alsp worth a look.
Film Threat | KJ Doughton
Mangold has time to build sensational, studied characterizations, brilliant pacing (courtesy Mike McCuster, who also edited the director's previous effort, the Johnny Cash biopic "Walk the Line"), and blistering action. -
MCT:June 29, 2008
A good well made western, a genre that is hard to make without being to cliche. I enjoyed everything about the movie.
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MCT:June 29, 2008
Fantastic movie great gun battles and Bale and Crowe are awesome in it.
Ben Wade and his Gang of outlaws attack a carriage full of money and then after killing all but one they set off for the nearest town to divide the money and after going their separate ways for a little while Ben (Russell Crowe) is captured by the Town Lawman and taken into custody.
Dan Evans (Christian Bale) rides into town looking for the man responsible for burning down his barn and heads to the local Saloon where a chance meeting with Wade sets him on a path of justice to see him put on a train to Yuma Prison so sets off being chased all the way by Wade's gang.
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