3:10 to Yuma

James Mangold's retooling of Delmer Daves' 3:10 to Yuma is but another silly western. And considering the lack of Westerns being produced within Hollywood at the moment, it’s just in time. Enter one Ben Wade (Russell Crowe), the poetic leader of a gang of thugs who make their living robbing stage coaches and trains. When Wade isn't preaching from the bible, philosophizing about the nature of good and evil, or taking care of his brutal business, he calmly sits back and draws pictures, leaving his designs carefully positioned throughout the country, sinister signatures upon a lounging landscape. Dan Evans (Christian Bale) is chief amongst the 'lawpersons' devoted to delivering Wade to a train in Bisbee, Arizona, after his capture. Evans is a poor farmer whose about to be thrown off his land since his landlord plans to sell his property to the incoming railroad. That same railroad offers Evans the small fortune of 200 dollars to assist in transporting Wade to the 3:10 to Yuma, and with no other economic prospects in sight, he begrudgingly complies.

Wade takes a liking to gentle Dan and the dialogue between the two, the classic good vs. evil, hero vs. villain Western dialogue, ties together the various action sequences. The style of Mangold's film is foreshadowed in the opening credits, the words "3:10 to Yuma" appearing explosively, one by one, before disappearing quickly. What follows is a gunslingin' shoot 'em up Western where numerous battle scenes mingle with stretches of deadpan dialogue.

Wade's character is strong enough to drive 3:10 to Yuma to its conclusion, even if the film staggers along the way. For instance, Wade and Pinkerton Byron McIlroy (Henry Fonda) have been injured, therefore, the modest veterinarian Doc Potter (Alan Tudyk) must accompany them for their ride through the desert. He provides some great comic relief, notably the fact that his character doesn't remain at home or argue about going on a treacherous desert trip while being pursued by a gang of thugs. And why does the gang of thugs pursue their leader? They've just robbed a stagecoach and made off with a fortune, why do they feel compelled to rescue their frontman, even after he shot one of them during the robbery? Wade graciously reminds them that there's no honour amongst thieves, but not until we've benefitted from this notoriously noble, albeit problematic plot-twist. At the same time, 3:10 to Yuma displays some surprising subtlety throughout, as a young Chinese labourer glares down equally young William Evans (Logan Lerman), a glare designed to remind him that his seemingly destitute situation could be much worse. And the ways in which the traditional caricatures of the hero and villain are deconstructed throughout are provocative, if not somewhat peculiar during the film's climax.