3:10 to Yuma (2007) - 7/10

I have not seen many westerns in my life and am excited that the randomizer brought me to 3:10 to Yuma as an entry point. It is a modernized remake of a 1957 film based on a short story; all bearing the same name. If more westerns end up being like this, then I don't know what the hell I was waiting on. I also wonder, if this score will change if I revisit this film in the future, especially once I see more takes on the modern western. Let get into the rubric. 

1. Acting

I'll probably get more into the plot down in the writing section, but for now I'll just say that the film relies on the audience believing in the relationship between the two leads - one an outlaw and one a humble rancher. 

Christian Bale serves as Dan, a humble rancher who is just trying to provide for his family. The film implies that Dan is a former soldier who is under increasing stress to make money to keep his ranch due the looming threat of a railroad company trying to buy his land out from under him. Bale seems to clearly understand Dan and his nuance. On the surface, he is just a family man trying to make ends meet. In reality, his struggle is with himself. Dan is ashamed on himself. He sees the disdain his son has for him and his weakness as a father and he sees his failings as a husband whenever his wife looks at him, or doesn't look at him. 

Dan's foil in this somewhat offbeat buddy drama is Ben Wade, played by Russel Crowe. Again, there is a surface character here. Ben is the leader of a gang of outlaws who spend their time stealing and killing. However, Crowe too understands that there is much more to Ben. Though he may be an outlaw, Ben is also an admirer of beauty. Despite of (or because of) his traumatic past, Ben sees the world in a much different shade of gray than Dan. 

The climax of this film, and its effect on the audience, relies heavily on the believability of these two characters, their principles, and the relationship that grows between them as the plot progresses. It is no surprise then the casting team chose two very talented actors in Bale and Crowe. The rest of the cast can just play cops and robbers; but the two leads have to be busy crafting layers in the films quieter moments to sell the action later on.

2. Cinematography

This is a very pretty film to look at, as are many westerns. The time period calls for vast empty landscapes of deserts and mountains paired with natural light. The results are therefore transportive in both time and space. Everything here looks like a wonderful and detailed painting. And in the darker moments the campfire that illuminates the quieter moments of the film is warm and uneasy.

3. Production/Costume Design

Another major strength of the film is its production quality. The costumes feel authentic and distinct. I also like how Ben's more distinctive and flashier outfit and guns juxtapose with the simpler and restrained look of Dan. 

The western towns also feel very tangible. The sets built (which I imagine were built from scratch) feel familiar for what we know about the era, but also fully realized in its execution. 

4. Writing

Like I mentioned before, the plot of this film is relatively simple. Dan is struggling to make ends meet. Ben, through happenstance is sought by and captured by the railroad company. Dan is then presented with the opportunity to help bring Ben to the train that will take him to Yuma prison while earning enough money to help his family out of their financial hole. 

However, the plot above is more of a B-plot than anything else. It is keeping the film moving and giving it a finish line. The real story playing out here is between the two leads. Dan wants money for his family, but what he actually needs is for his life to have meaning and to regain his self worth and family's admiration. Similarly, Ben on the surface wants to be set free and continue his criminal ways. However, what he needs is to regain a sense of the beauty in the world that has abandoned him. The real trick then, is that neither one is aware that their counterpart is going to be what provides them that. 

A common complaint I saw about this movie after watching it, is that the ending seems ridiculous. In the climax of the film, Dan and the crew helping get Ben to the train are slowly taken apart by Ben's gang of outlaws. Dan, in what proves to be his final act, is going to try to get Ben on the train by himself while being completely outnumbered. The rub for some audience members is that Ben begins helping Dan. He becomes an active participant, protecting Dan multiple times and willingly going with him to the train. In the end, they make it to the train against all odds, only for Dan to be fatally shot by Ben's crew. Ben's is enraged by his death and turns on his crew, gunning them all down before boarding the train voluntarily. 

This ending, with a surface level reading of the characters, does indeed feel very ridiculous. However, if Bale and Crowe have successfully done their job this ending is poetic. By getting Ben to the train successfully, Dan has fulfilled his need. He no longer appears to himself or his son as a failure. He is the man who single handedly brought legendary outlaw Ben Wade to justice securing stability for his family, admiration of his son, and a legacy for himself. In a similar respect, Ben is fulfilled with his admiration of Dan. Dan shows Ben a type of father willing to do anything for his family, something life robbed Ben of in his childhood. Ben, as we learn in small moments of the film, is an artist who longs to see the beauty in the world. When we meet him, he seems to have grown tired of his gang. He, in some moments, even seems to find them and their violence abhorrent. When they then kill Dan, Ben snaps. They have destroyed the thing he found beautiful. He also sees his own role in this, and thus willingly gets on the train to atone and honor Dan. 

I typically don't review plots with such detail, but it is essential to understand that this is not simply a cops vs robbers type of western. This is a character study of two men seeking something neither of them is actually aware of. It is an elegant movie and all the shootouts and horse chases and trains are just set dressing to keep you entertained.

5. Sound Design

The sound design in the movie was a bit of letdown. The sounds effects are good but the dialog volume levels were mixed too low. What you get are incredibly quiet conversation scenes that rapidly becomes incredibly loud action scenes with gunshots and explosions. It can be frustrating constantly messing with the volume while trying to be immersed. 

6. Editing

The general pace of the movie is good. However, the structure does feel a bit meandering at times. Most of the second act is a series of the same thing - Ben gets away from the crew only to get recaptured. This happens like 3 different times. I think the intent was to have a series of rising tension with a momentary break for the audience to relax and characters to build relationship. The repetition undermines this though.

7. Visual Effects

Some of the explosions felt off. Otherwise I didn't note anything in particular. The films leans heavily on its real world locations and practical sets. So the VFX team likely just helped fill in the gaps and hide the stunt work. 

8. Originality or Strength of Adaptation

I'm a bit behind on my 1950's film knowledge so I can't speak to the strength of this film versus its predecessors. Nevertheless, I can admire 3:10 to Yuma for keeping the western genre alive for modern audience. The layered story being told here also helps elevate it above being just a action movie set in the old west.

9. Stunt Coordination

Seemed serviceable, but I didn't clock anything that seemed particularly extraordinary. This was the level of execution I'd expect of a modern action movie. 

10. Direction

I was already a fan of James Mangold, but this addition to his filmography solidifies him as not just a highly competent director, but one that can bridge multiple genres. This also felt like a precursor to his excellent work on Logan which always felt a bit like a western to me.

Legacy/Final Thoughts

The American western as a genre has been on a steep decline since the 1970s. This was mostly due to fact that audiences started to largely abandon them. No audience, means no money, and the western slowly fell out of fashion. Now, there have been many minor resurgences over the years thanks to films like 3:10 to Yuma. I think the original decline of the western was not simply that audiences got bored with them. Rather, the world at large was changing rapidly. The classic good versus evil tales with a mythological gunslinger became out of touch with reality and audiences stopped connecting with them. I'm curious if westerns will ever have a true reemergence, but I'm glad that filmmakers are still willing to reengage and match the aesthetics and themes to the modern world. I think, in this way, it can continue to remain relevant.