They Were Shooting Bullets

Rating: 8/10 (26 October 2010)

Greetings again from the darkness. (Sept 3, 2007) Remakes always cause me to pause, especially when they are of films I enjoyed ... such as the 1957 "3:10 to Yuma", which was probably Glenn Ford's best screen performance. Still, having only seen the preview twice (remarkable in this day), I was instantaneously curious to see Batman and Gladiator in the lead roles!! This is a fantastic traditional western film with good guys and bad guys and muddled minds, when the time comes to decide what is morally right and what might actually be an easy way out. As we have seen in "The Magnificent Seven" and "High Noon", choosing the easy way out is rarely heroic and certainly doesn't create the high intensity story line played out in "3:10 to Yuma". The old west is the perfect playground for writers who enjoy showing the complexity involved in manhood, especially when fatherhood is involved.
The two leads are exceptional. Russell Crowe exudes badness and coolness and brilliance as the legendary outlaw, Ben Wade. Watching his psychological games with his captors is creepy, yet humorous and at times, downright frightening. Good guy Christian Bale captures the desperation of a man continually wronged by his country, politicians, and even his God. He struggles to maintain his character for his sons and wife, but this is no ordinary man. He is possessed by character.
Supporting standouts include Ben Foster as Crowe's right-hand man, Charlie Prince. Think Michael Biehn in "Tombstone". Foster is a scary guy, but also has a couple of the film's funniest lines. Gretchen Mol plays Bale's wife, and though she is given little to do, I must ask again ... "Why doesn't this woman work more often?". She is excellent in every role she takes, but she needs more screen time. If you doubt Ms. Mol's talent, please see "The Notorious Bettie Page". Also of note is Alan Tudyk who plays Doc. Tudyk gives another fine performance on the heels of his zany role in the excellent "Death at a Funeral". Also, I would be remiss to not mention Peter Fonda's all too brief role as the bounty hunter. Fonda spews his lines at the camera.
What makes this updated version slightly better than the original is the gritty, dusty approach taken by up ("Walk the Line") and down ("Kate and Leopold") director James Mangold. We FEEL the gunshots, stampedes, chase scenes and dirt in the wounds. This realism helps build the tension of the final few minutes. Also, a tip of the hat to Mangold for not beating us over the head with shots of watches and clocks. There are enough for effect, but no so many as to ruin the moment.
This is a must see and probably one of the best of the year. Can't often say that about August/September releases, but I assume it was released so as to not conflict with the upcoming Crowe/Denzel Washington film. Regardless, this is a film to see.