September 11, 2007 -- It's been 50 years since the release of the first movie called “3:10 to Yuma” and a lot has changed. Films about the Old West were king back then. Now, they are nearly forgotten. The last good one before this was Kevin Kostner's 2003 film, “Open Range.” Like that film, this new version of “3:10 to Yuma” has some oblique references to the Civil War, and how men are wounded by war. In both instances, these references could apply to the Iraq War, which has more than its share of physically and psychological wounded.

The hero of the story, Dan Evans (played by Christian Bale of “Batman Begins”) is a struggling Arizona rancher who lost a leg in the Civil War. He is about to be evicted from his property. An unscrupulous businessman has run off his cattle, cut off his water supply and burned his barn. He and his sons are out rounding up the strays when they see a stagecoach robbery by the gang of the notorious outlaw, Ben Wade (Russell Crowe of “Cinderella Man”). Evans' oldest son, William, (Logan Lerman of “Hoot”) is fascinated by the outlaw and disappointed in his father. Later, when Wade is captured, Evans volunteers to guard Wade on his journey to prison in Yuma, Arizona. He hopes to save his ranch with the $200 (almost the exact same amount he got in compensation for the loss of his leg) he will get for the job. He also hopes to earn the respect of his family.

On the way to Yuma, the posse stops overnight at Evans' ranch. Wade turns on the charm when he talks to Evan's pretty wife, Alice (Gretchen Mol of “The Notorious Betty Page”) and William. The road to Yuma is deadly, as Wade's gang attacks the captors, hoping to free Wade. They also face attacks from renegade Apaches and a renegade posse, who wants to execute Wade before he goes to trial. With trickery and determination, the group guarding the prisoner continues toward Yuma, but they are being picked off one by one. Wade himself attacks and kills two of his captors. As the terrible journey continues, Wade and Evans develop respect for one another. They both have their own code of honor. William Evan, like Luke Skywalker addressing Darth Vader, tells Wade that he sees good in him. Wade denies it, but maybe there is. Wade is not a typical outlaw. He is smart, a keen observer of people, manipulative and has an artist's temperament. He carries a sketch pad wherever he goes. At the same time, he is a sociopath, and he kills without remorse. He is no animal, but admits that his gang of killers are animals.

Wade admires Evans because of his devotion to his family. Wade's own family deserted him. It is as if Wade wishes he could live his life over with Evans as his father. He would have been a better man. Evans is willing to do anything to insure a good future for his family, and that is something that Wade respects. One final revelation by Evans changes the end of the story, which is very atypical for a western. I saw the original film years ago, and I don't remember how the two films are different, but I suspect Wade is more of an anti-hero in this new version than he was in the old version. Westerns are never entirely about the old west. That is the beauty of Westerns. They can be used to reflect on any contemporary issue, and this one certainly does that.

The cast is excellent, although Bale has a bit too much edge to him to play a rock-solid decent guy the way Van Heflin did in the original (and in “Shane”). His limp seems to come and go, too. Also excellent in a supporting role is Ben Foster (“X-Men: The Last Stand”) who plays Wade's loyal right hand man, Charlie Prince, a vicious killer. Also good is a nearly unrecognizable Peter Fonda (“Wild Hogs”), who plays the Sam Elliot-type role as the tough old lawman. This movie is a bit slow and talky, but it has plenty of action, too. It could have been shortened a bit, but otherwise is a fine movie. There were some problems with a few details, too, like the posse not putting out the fire at night when they are attacked by Apaches. The fire made them easy targets, but it was also the only lighting for the scene. This is one of those films that stays with you. It is not easily forgotten. The story is haunting. I kept thinking about it for days after seeing it. That is why it rates a B+. It also scored number one in terms of box office ticket sales in its first weekend of release. That hasn't happened in a long time. Welcome back Western, nice to see you back on top again.

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Copyright © 2007 Robert Roten. All rights reserved.
Reproduced with the permission of the copyright holder.

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