While all movie genres have their share of protagonists and antagonists, good guys and bad guys, and heroes and villains, few personify such battles and use them to the same extent as do Westerns. Perhaps that stems back to the days of old when such conflict was quite common, and a great deal of American folklore includes the legends of notorious gunslingers, bank robbers and cattle rustlers, as well as the lawmen and everyday citizens who risked their lives, and sometimes ended up forfeiting them, to try to bring those criminals to justice.
Of course, the best films of the genre don't paint the characters with the polar opposites of the color spectrum (which, symbolically were and now jokingly are literal black and white). Instead, the parties on both sides are washed in various shades of gray, all the better to make them more complex and thus, hopefully, more interesting for the viewer.
Such is the case in "3:10 to Yuma," a remake of the highly regarded, 1957 film of the same name that starred Van Heflin as a down and out rancher who, desperately needing the money, agreed to help transport the dangerous but charismatic villain played by Glenn Ford to the titular destination (that being a train to the prison in the southwestern Arizona city).
Here, Christian Bale takes over the Heflin role, while Russell Crowe does the same for Ford, and the results are quite satisfying, especially for viewers longing for a decently made Western, the likes of which aren't exactly beating down the doors of Hollywood nowadays.
As the original (and tens of thousands of other films) came out seven years before my birth, I haven't had the pleasure of seeing it, so comparisons are moot. I can say, however, that this version is generally well-made, features solid to terrific performances, and kept me interested from start to finish (with, thank goodness, an unpredictable conclusion -- a rarity in studio films these days).
Aside from a few nitpicky issues regarding some character motivation (that can't be revealed without giving away some surprises) as well as what should have been the physical limits of a one-legged man with a primitive, 19th century prosthesis (methinks jumping from one rooftop to the next, etc. would seem to push the limits of such a device), the pic should ride off into the sunset of glowing financial returns, if not theatrically, most certainly once on home video.
Working from Michael Brandt and Derek Haas' adaptation of Elmore Leonard's short story (which was, natch, also the basis for the first film), director James Mangold ("Walk the Line," "Copland") delivers a near pitch-perfect blend of Western action and drama. He makes the former seem real without relying on too many edits (although I could have used less of the "you are there" handheld camera moments), while the latter works without delving into any sort of histrionics. What's present feels authentic, no doubt aided by some of the best performances of the year.
And those obviously come from Bale and Crowe who imbue their characters with just the right touches and nuances to make them not only believable, but also accessible to the average viewer. The villain part is tailor made for Crowe's acting style and sensibilities, and he easily bats that one out of the park.
Bale's character, while not exactly novel (the average guy taking a risk to save his family and their livelihood, while also doing what he thinks and knows is right), is more complex. While not as flashy as his counterpart, he's still quite good in the role. What's most interesting and unusual nowadays is that the actors easily could have switched parts and the outcome, while obviously different, mostly likely would still have worked.
Supporting performances are generally just as strong, particularly from Ben Foster as the villainous second in command who leads the outlaws on their rescue mission, and Logan Lerman as Bale's 14-year-old son who perhaps has grown up into adulthood a bit too soon. Smaller parts from the likes of Gretchen Mol, Alan Tudyk and Peter Fonda are also good, even if the latter's character is an incredibly quick healer, doling out physical justice not long after being shot in the gut.
Like its equally good genre compatriots, the film smartly examines exactly what it takes and means to be a man, particularly in the day and age -- at least stereotypically -- when ruggedness clearly overruled compassion. With the various characters demonstrating the various aspects of just that, and thanks to good work both in front of and behind the camera, this is one ride you'll probably want to catch, particularly if you're a fan of Westerns. "3:10 to Yuma" rates as a 7 out of 10.
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