Lionsgate
Once one of Hollywood ’s most democratic and acclaimed genres , the Western is now a tincture of its splendid former self . During the mid-1940s , all the way to the late sixties , the genre peak , and many ofthe greatest Western moviescame out , defining the myth of the Old West and cementing the cowpuncher as the defining figure of American identity . New Hollywood turned its aid elsewhere , and the musical genre slowly declined in popularity . However , the gritty nature of post - New Hollywood movies gave birth to the neo - Western genre , which endures to this day .
In 2007 , James Mangold boldly take one of the best Westerns of the 1950s , Delmer Daves’3:10 to Yuma , and remade it under a neo - westerly approach . Starring Oscar winners Christian Bale and Russell Crowe , the film follow a small posse comitatus tasked with ravish the severe criminal Ben Wade to the township of Contention , where he is to board the 3:10 train to Yuma prison . Although spat at the time of release , Mangold’s3:10 to Yumahas never invite the attending or kudos it rightfully deserves . Fortunately , this modern Western gem is now on Netflix , stand for it ’s the perfect chance for you to check it out . If you have n’t , you absolutely should because it is plausibly the best westerly to have follow out this century ; here ’s why .
Lionsgate
It has brilliant performances from Christian Bale and Russell Crowe
When you have two actors ofthe caliber of Christian Baleand Russell Crowe sharing the screen , you could bet you ’re in for a ride . The two share adequate silver screen sentence and weightiness in the report , with Bale as the righteous family gentleman and Crowe as the morally complex anti - hero . Because3:10 to Yumais a neo - westerly , neither is all “ good ” or “ bad ; ” or else , they are both men living the circumstances they forged for themselves and trying their best to stay alert in an arid and ruthless world .
Bale is at his most piquant and compelling here . His trademark intensity is strengthen down for the function of Dan Evans , a rancher in financial hardship trying to set an example for his two Logos , the under the weather Mark ( Ben Petry ) and the one-time and more rebellious William ( Logan Lerman ) . Bale opts for vulnerability , his face clearly conveying just how hard Dan finds it to do the thing others might take for granted , including walking .
For his part , Crowe is appeal embodied , playing the criminal Ben Wade with flair and self-assurance . He is magnetic on screen , to the tip where it ’s quite easy to understand why he inspire so much allegiance from his men . The chemistry between these two is captivate ; there are n’t many complicated monologue here , with Mangold choosing to establish their complicated dynamic through casual exchanges and backstairs looks . They react to each other ’s actions , and we experience that with them .
The quietus of the cast is equally brilliant . Logan Lerman yield one of his best performances as the wild and thwarted William , impart out the good of Bale during their aroused exchanges . Ben Foster is also a scene - stealer as Wade ’s fiercely loyal right - handwriting man , Charlie Prince . Utterly amoral and ruthless , Charlie is the motion-picture show ’s rightful antagonist , and Foster deport an thrilling crook , playing the character as a rabid dog with others but a full - eyed pup with Wade . Other standouts include Alan Tudyk as the soft but brave Doc Potter and Gretchen Mol as Dan ’s disgruntled married woman , Alice .
Marco Beltrami’s haunting yet riveting score
Music is all-important to any picture , but perhaps more so for a Western . Going back to Ennio Morricone ’s musical genre - set work in Sergio Leone ’s movies , music has always flirt a major role in Westerns . In many path , it ’s just as important to bring the Old West to life as the visuals themselves ; in Mangold’s3:10 to Yuma , it ’s even more . The film is more fiber than game - driven ; yes , the story prescribe the principal players must get to Contention , but the how is not determine . Thus , Mangold allows his characters to formulate a unparalleled path , using talks and music to build the air and make a mood .
3:10 to Yuma‘s score was composed by the talented Marco Beltrami . minimize yet profoundly evocative , Beltrami ’s composition for the pic are wrap , tense when they involve to be and luxuriously textured . More so than talks , it ’s the music that sets the stage for the activity in3:10 to Yuma . Mangold ’s Old West is barren and treacherous , and Beltrami ’s score is a haunting rumination of the barrenness . The composer received a richly merit Oscar nomination for his work in3:10 to Yuma , yet another testament to the world power of this moving part .
Sound is crucial in this movie . Even when not accompanied by Beltrami ’s mark , each scene in3:10 to Yumadepends on the immersive sound purpose . A cracking open fireplace , galloping horses in the distance , the air traversing a townspeople that is as dry as the desert itself ; through sound alone , Mangold breathes aliveness into the Old West , and it lecture back to us .
The exhilarating third act
No Western would be complete without a thrilling termination , and3:10 to Yumahas one of the best in late memory . Like many of the best Westerns of all time , it concludes with a shoot - out , but the Florida key to its brilliance relies on Mangold ’s approach shot to the natural process . His camera gets just as down and dirty as Bale and Crowe , abide by them through a tense chase as they race from the hotel where they ’ve been taking refuge to the post where the titular train will arrive .
Action requires a sure hectic messiness to be truly effective ; too much will make it feel helter-skelter and hard to follow , while too little will supply the scene inert and uninspired . Mangold knows when to come into the natural process , lowering his photographic camera to the ground to join Dan and Ben when they take a breather , pass over their retentive run to the station through stores and rooftop , and even including some POV shoot as they stress to make sentience of who is who among their assaulter .
3:10 to Yumahas one of the best endings to any westerly movie , modern or otherwise . It ’s exhilarating yet emotionally remindful , strong-growing but never unmindful . It ’s impactful , deeply distressing , and even persuasion - provoking , making the interview question what the true message is and whether those need in the story in reality got it . Few movies can craft such a powerful ending that succeed on an emotional level while still delivering spectacle . After 100 minutes of buildup , the last stretch of3:10 to Yumais nothing short of explosive , ending as only a few Western have .
3:10 to Yumais now available to stream on Netflix .
