A Great Return for the Western

Rating: 9/10 (19 September 2007)

Finally the western genre has returned. In 1993 "Tombstone" was released and was a big hit; it revitalized the dying, or already dead, western. Since then, even with as big as hit as it was, Hollywood just hasn't released any westerns, at least not mainstream ones. There just wasn't money to be found in them, and audiences largely ignored them, until now. Talk abounded surrounding a trailer for a movie called "3:10 to Yuma" starring some of Hollywood's biggest stars. For once, wanting to see a western was the "thing" again. And the movie that promised a "cool" western really delivered.
"Yuma" is based on a 1950s movie based on a short story. This time directed by "Walk the Line's" James Mangold and starring Christian Bale and Russell Crowe. Bale plays a down and out farmer, Dan Evans, who has a huge debt to pay to the local baddies, so when notorious outlaw, Ben Wade (Crowe), is captured and sentenced to death in Yuma, Ben is more than willing to collect the ransom to take Wade to the 3:10 train to Yuma. But Ben's old gang isn't about to let that happen.
Christian Bale is once again brilliant as he will be for every movie he ever makes. Crowe is equally great as he balances on the line of pure evil and showing some good side. And that's the cool thing, Ben is such a dark, suave, well mannered guy one second, the next he's putting three bullets into his gang member for messing up. Other notables are Ben Foster as Wade's right hand, Charlie Prince, who is so extremely evil he makes Wade look like an angel. And Peter Fonda as a mean-tempered, revenge bent sheriff is great as well. The cinematography is stunning switching from the serene desert, to a fast-paced, intense gun battle. Everything is just so well paced and directed, it's all around a great movie.
"3:10 to Yuma" is chock full of heart-stopping shoot outs and non-stop intensity, so fans of modern action films will love this, as will fans of westerns, and anyone who just likes a good time.