Russell Crowe is superb. The movie is excellent, far exceeding my expectations. His characterization is subtle with a gradual evolution of his humanity. The other actors, especially one of the "bad guys", do a fine job. Don't miss this gem.
‘3.10 to Yuma’ follows rancher Dan Evans, who, having come into contact with outlaw Ben Wade, sees a chance to keep his property out of the hands of railway developers.
The script raises intelligent questions about the relative nature of good and evil, depicting a lawless West where money motivates everything. Cutting an unattractive figure as Dan Evans, Christian Bale convinces as a poverty-stricken rancher, while modern sensibilities and dialogue allow him to create a more emasculated hero than those of the 1950s westerns.
Older audience members at our screening commented that they liked ‘3.10 toYuma’ (a remake) because it reminded them of the old films. Director James Mangold (‘Walk the Line’) hasn’t experimented with visual style; what you see closely echoes the composition of a Glenn Ford B-movie or similar, only with better film stock, exploding stuntmen and swearing.
The main flaw is that Mangold doesn’t seem to have decided on an ending; he wavers between satisfying the story’s themes and confusing the viewer, while the climactic action sequence will make or break the film depending on your taste. Mangold does get quality performances, however; Russell Crowe blurs the lines of morality and Ben Foster adds personality and interest to the token ‘distinctive-looking villain’ role.
Go and see this for an updated star vehicle with an intelligent script, but don’t expect more (yet) from this upcoming director.