3:10 to Yuma

Directed by: James Mangold
Starring: Russell Crowe, Christian Bale, Logan Lerman, Ben Foster, Peter Fonda
Running Time: 1h 57min

I continue to state that I am not a fan of westerns. Yet every couple of years I'm forced to admit that the film I accidentally stumbled upon, or was forced to watch, is indeed a great film, filled with great acting and locations, and is indeed a western. In this category go the films Unforgiven, Shane, Tombstone and now, 3:10 to Yuma.

Great acting can elevate any film, and this film benefits immensely from the contrasting forces of a soft spoken, do right father figure played by Bale, and his counterpart, the tough talking, bad boy played by Crowe. Both actors infuse their characters with enough menace and sentimentality, that it is hard to convincingly root for either of them. Though Bale's honesty and integrity weigh out above Crowe's character's cold bloodedness, there's still enough charm and charisma in Crowe for us, and more complexly, Bale's teenage son, to enjoy his company.

The story builds slowly enough, yet moves at a pace that keeps the viewer intrigued. The ending really is any one's guess, as you can see these locomotives headed for a collision, and it's really up in the air if good will triumph over evil. The uncertainty arises out of a series of dialogues between the two leads, which set up an unnerving third act. You can see these two diametrically opposed individuals, slowly rubbing off on each other, yet staying steadfast to who they are at their cores. Cutaway scenes to Crowe's crazy crew help to fuel the fire fight that is the culminating sequence, placing insurmountable odds in front of our hero.

3:10 to Yuma has received some excellent reviews, all very deserving. Don't be surprised if it finds its way on some year end best lists, as it executes the genre to perfection. So, i humbly admit, westerns, when done to perfection, can be some of the best films around.

Grade: B+