The Western: A Tale of Morality in the West

Rating: 9/10 (29 May 2017)

I wonder if the lasting feeling I get after finishing a movie that leaves me so invested that I'm still wrapped in that world after it has ended, is unique to only me. Because 3:10 to Yuma is definitely one of those movies for me. Which surprises me because I've never been very interested with western movies until now. It seems to be one of few accurate and quality resurgences of the western genre from maybe the past decade. It seems to have only some that a western should have, according to what loose knowledge I have on them. Basically, it seems that most westerns portray "the conquest of the wilderness and the subordination of nature in the name of civilization" and uses this to tell stories of morality. So knowing this, to me 3:10 to Yuma may not be your average gunslinger western, it is most certainly a story of morality, and a damn good one at that. In addition to these themes, the story itself maintains the same level of engagement and tension, and it's delivered through so many great performances. Russel Crowe and Christian Bale are excellent at giving these morally complex characters, and we can easily understand how they might feel in any given situation. The music in the film is appropriate to each scene, and helps guide the viewer to sense the brevity of each scene. And in the end I think I've found yet another new favorite.