3:10 to Redemption

Rating: 9/10 (11 January 2008)

I'm not a Western film buff and don't claim to be so I had some reservations going into this film, however, I was also expecting something great even though it's not my particular genre. With Christian Bale, Russell Crowe, and James Mangold directing, I knew the screenplay had to be good. I knew the film was going to be good. I just didn't know how much I would love it.
Christian Bale plays Dan Evens, a poor rancher who's struggling during the drought to protect his family. He happens to stumble upon Ben Wade (Russell Crowe) as he's robbing a coach full of money hauled by the Pinkerton's. After a gun battle erupts, Wade collects on his 22nd robbery. Dan Evans oldest son, William (Logan Lerman), ignores Dan, which happens a lot as William tries to see the action from atop the ridge as Wade and his gang spot him after Wade shoots one of his own men for putting the rest of the gang at risk. Evans oldest son is in awe of Wade and has a sense of admiration his father wish he had for him.
Wade is caught in Bisbee and the Railroad Company is offering to pay three men to bring Wade to Contention and put him on the 3:10 to Yuma and send him to the Yuma prison. Evens tells him that he was the best shot in his regiment and Evans youngest son who sees his father as a hero tells Wade that he can shoot a jackrabbit at 50 yards, which is sayin' something. Evans is paid 200 dollars to help bring Wade to Contention.
During the journey we start to see a transformation from both Wade and Evans. Evans tells him that he will bring him to justice. He believes it's right to stand up to people like Ben Wade. By the end of the journey, as they make it to Contention, they wait for the train to come and this wait becomes the films strongest act. Evans is watching Wade in a bridal suite waiting for destiny to come. As the wait comes closer to three o'clock, Wade's gang arrives in Contention. The gang's current leader, Charlie Prince (Ben Foster), is the only one who wanted to travel 80 miles to help Wade. Prince makes an offer to the towns folk of 200 dollars to anyone who shoots one of his capturers. The odds now seem insurmountable and since everyone in the town has guns cocked and drawn ready to shoot the Marshall and two of his best deputies decide that they're family men and this is an unfair fight and they will not die like this, so they bail on Evans. Mr. Butterfield also says that he won't be helping Evans put Wade on that train. Evans is found standing alone.
Now when all the bullets start flying reality goes right out the door with them, but the message and purpose for Evans leading Wade to the train makes it all worth it. The ending is controversial and a lot of people aren't going to find it realistic, but they haven't noticed the character change. Is it a little unreal how Wade seems to turn in the blink of an eye? Sure. Maybe. But the reasons for their turn is exhilarating to watch. Seeing Wade brought to justice was not Evans intention at all- as it was at the start of their journey. Evans does something incredible. Wade does something incredible. The actions during the final minutes with nothing but the sound of the chugging train engine like a slow heartbeat in the background is emotionally captivating. It is some of the best work of any genre you are going to find.
Christian Bale is great in this film and this may very well be his greatest acting achievement to date (American Psycho, The Machinist, The Prestige) and Russell Crowe is also phenomenal and this is one of his better performances as well (A Beautiful Mind, Gladiator, American Gangster).
This film is not about the gun battles or the wild west. It's about the characters. These characters are so deep and as we become so involved with them we are left rooting for them and hoping something doesn't happen that seems inevitable. The final lines of the film are said by Dan Evans' son and Charlie Prince. Both said to Dan Evans. We can get a sense of joy during these final moments because we know everything that happened up until that point went exactly as planed by Evans, and we get a sense of triumph in an odd way.
This is a great film regardless of genre. It's also the best Western I've ever seen.