Fifty years after the original, this is a fine western.

Rating: Null/10 (10 February 2008)

Set in the years just after the Civil War, it was still every man for himself in the west.
The two opening scenes establish the two main characters. First we see Dan Evans (Christian Bale) and his family at night, on the homestead, and they hear a noise. It soon is clear that it is not an animal, someone had just set fire to his barn. He and his 14 year old son William (Logan Lerman) get saddles and whatever they can as the barn begins to crumble. Dan knew right away, the fire was set by one of the men working for a rich and powerful business man that he owed money to.
Next we see an armored wagon carrying loot and being pursued by Ben Wade's (Russell Crowe) gang. Their reputation has spread over the old west as dangerous men who will take mercy on no one. Wade even shoots one of his own men who did not perform up to expectations.
Eventually Wade gets captured, but his gang is still free. The task is to get Wade to prison where he can be tried and hung. As the plan breaks, they will get him to a town where he can be put on the 3:10 to Yuma prison. But getting him there will not be easy, his gang will make sure of that.
Dan Evans, cripple from an accident during the war, volunteers to help get Wade to the train, after he bargains for $200 for his efforts. He doesn't really want to do this, but he needs some way to get out of debt and save his family and their homestead.
Ben Wade is dangerous, and he is the kind of guy who always has a smile, even in captivity, and is always talking and asking innocent-seeming questions, always trying to get an edge, and usually is successful.
Both Christian Bale and Russell Crowe are superb in their roles. Even though they are on opposite sides of the law, through their ordeal they gain a measure of respect for each other.
Peter Fonda is Byron McElroy, craggy old hired gun who helps protect the wagons as they carry loot across the west. Gretchen Mol is fine in a small role as Dan's wife Alice Evans.
SPOILERS: There is a showdown and big gunfight right before the train comes to town. Dan's 14-year-old son had followed them and provided some key assistance. In the end Dan's bravery got Ben to the train, but Dan lost his life to one of Ben's men. Yet, after that all of Ben's men were killed, and Ben was put on the train. Before he died, Dan had made a deal that would secure the farm for his family.