Director James Mangold is finally keeping his promise

Rating: 9/10 (24 March 2008)

An inspired story packed with action, tension, plot twists, detailed and complex main characters as well as supporting ones that walk the walk and talk the talk, a very clever casting, and here you go: Director James Mangold has finally made good on the promise he gave us with "Copland" ten years ago ("Walk The Line" in 2005, Jonny Cash's biography was the first sign of his redemption). "3:10 to Yuma" is one western that doesn't try to pay its respects to the genre or use it as a pretense: it's a bona fide action thriller but at the same time, it is totally modern in the way it poses some of the undying dilemmas humans may face in rough times. It even has an ending that permits the viewer to wonder about the next steps and the ultimate fate of those still standing -something Holywdood usually refrains from these days, preferring to show us everything at the end, so that we don't need to think or imagine about anything afterwards. I will remember this one.