3:10 to Yuma (2007)

It’s been a long time since anyone made a great western. Hollywood had lots of them when such iconic stars as Jimmy Stewart and John Wayne rode across the big screen. I went into this remake expecting the usual rubbish and got surprised; this is a rarity in modern times—it’s a great western.

Every father wants to be a hero in the eyes of his child. Would-be cattle rancher Dan Evans (Christian Bale) is no exception. Unfortunately, his impetuous son William (Logan Lerman) has no respect for him, and their most recent point of contention comes when the loan sharks Dan has been borrowing from to keep his place afloat come calling and burn down the barn. Either he pays up in short order, or it’ll be the house next. Disheartened and knowing he’ll lose everything, he and his boys set out to round up their cattle... and witness something that changes their lives forever: the robbery of the stagecoach. The infamous Ben Wade (Russell Crowe) leads the attack, a gun slinging outlaw with an impressive reputation that includes multiple murders and hold-ups. But this time he pushes his luck a little too much and gets taken into custody in town, while his “boys” escape out back.

The intention of the Pinkerton detective on the case is to put Wade on the 3:10 train to Yuma prison... but they must get him there first. It’s a long journey across Indian-infested territory, knowing that Wade’s posse, led in his absence by the ruthless Charlie Prince (Ben Foster), will be intent on rescuing him. Desperate both to save his land and recover the respect of his son, Dan volunteers to go along as a hired gun. Little does he realize what he’s in for, because besides bloodthirsty Apaches, fatal accidents and escape attempts, Wade has an unnerving charm. And even if they make it to Yuma, they still must wait for the train.

Westerns aren’t my favorite thing in the world, but I make an exception for this one. It’s superb. It has a tight script with character development, intense dialogue, terrific actors (other notable ones show up in cameos throughout), and an unusual friendship at its heart that forms between two men so different in so many ways yet that understand one another on a deeper level. The character of Wade is ingenious; one moment he’s all charm and smiles and the next he’s throttling someone or throwing them off a cliff. Even though he is hard to put your finger on, you know what will happen toward the end because you understand him along with Evans. Crowe and Bale are incredible together; they have a rare on-screen chemistry, and it was a pure delight for me to see two such talented actors at the top of their game.

Audiences considering spending time with this film should know going in that in the style of great classic westerns, sacrifices get made; people get killed (including characters we care about), but the story is all about integrity. Evans undertakes a job and is determined to stick to it, because he gave his word—even when it means he could die and gets offered ten times the promised amount if he’ll walk away. He never goes back on his word, and this makes the biggest impact on his son. He accomplishes more than he intended to and earns Wade’s respect. This isn’t just a shoot-‘em-up western, but has a moral core and depth beyond being a superficial action film.

This film reinforces the idea that real integrity is doing what is right, even though it may not be easy and might cost you your life. Some Christians object to the faith represented in the film (Wade mocks people who carry around Bibles and talks negatively about his pious mother), but I see it as the difference between those who profess faith and those who follow it. The final ten minutes are action-packed and profound, and even though it has an unexpected twist that some may hate, it does what few movies can do: share a deeper truth without preaching.

Sexual Content:
It's implied that Wade sleeps with a prostitute; he is shown drawing a picture of her afterward (the drawing contains partial backside nudity, but we never see it on his subject). References are made to prostitutes.

Language:
Jesus' name is abused several times; GD is used more than a dozen times, along with general profanities and vulgarities.

Violence:
Lots of men are shot and killed, with bloody results. Wade shoots one man at close range in the head; he stabs another repeatedly in the throat with a fork; he stomps on a man's face to knock him unconscious; he beats someone up and throws him off a cliff. Wade is tortured by an electrical device.

Other:
Alcohol consumption. Wade carries around a gun with a crucifix on it that he calls "The Hand of God." He quotes scripture and calls out others on hypercritical lifestyles (justifying murder and cruelty but professing faith).