2.14.2008

3:10 to Yuma (2007)

Though I enjoy a good western with a subplot and developed characters, the unrealistic nature of them makes it really difficult for me to get past.

In this film for instance, a man gets shot in the gut. The slug is removed and he's riding a horse a few minutes later. Or the ridiculously good aim these guys have with a 6-shot. But for me to enjoy the film, I've got to ignore it - just like any sci-fi film I suppose.

In Yuma, we get the classic "don't give a damn" outlaw and the "I've got to give a damn" rancher facing off in a doomed mission of the rancher (Christian Bale) delivering the captured outlaw to a train where the outlaw (Russell Crowe) will be taken to prison and hanged. A mutual respect is developed between the two as the journey progresses and the ending is naturally both exciting and tragic.

The layers in the film are thin except for the top one: What is life worth if you cop out of the difficult things like justice, sacrifice, and family? Based on this one major theme, I recommend the picture, though I've seen both actors in better films and I've seen better westerns.

Official Site | IMDB

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