Begins excitingly before losing steam (and coherency) in the second-half...

Rating: 3/10 (6 October 2011)

Struggling Arizona rancher and family man near Bisbee, deep in debt and about to be thrown off his land, volunteers to join group of men escorting sharp-shooting, womanizing, Bible-quoting gunslinger to Yuma train station for a fee of $200. Elmore Leonard's short story, the basis for the very fine 1957 western directed by Delmer Daves, has hence become a bloodthirsty yarn filled with psychopathic villains, dead bodies, and a runaway teenager. As the silver-tongued killer, Russell Crowe initially appears to be giving a subtle yet sharply-etched performance--but this portrait degenerates as the film goes on, as does just about everything else here. Director James Mangold leaves no western cliché unturned; by the time we get a surprise attack by gun-toting Apaches (whom, we're told far in advance, "enjoy killing"), the movie has spread itself too thin, and all evidence of a suspenseful, character-driven western has been negated. Christian Bale as the rancher has one strong scene discussing the family-predicament with his wife. Most of the supporting players get stuck portraying brainless, mangy people--who tend to fit right in with the illogical scenario. *1/2 from ****