3:10 to Yuma (2007)
2/4
Starring: Christian Bale, Russell Crowe, Ben Foster, Logan Lerman, Gretchen Mol
Rated R for Violence and Some Language
James Mangold's 2007 version of Elmore Leonard's short story "3:10 to Yuma" brings to mind two other westerns: The Coen Brothers' "True Grit" and "High Noon." The former is because it's all about the beginning and the end; people talk, but they don't say anything of interest and nothing happens except for a few isolated gunfights. The similarities with "High Noon" are much more general. Both stories detail righteous men doing the right thing in the face of impossible odds. It's nowhere near as good as "High Noon," and about as dull as the greatly overrated "True Grit."
Ben Wade (Crowe) is the baddest outlaw in the west. Wade and his gang are responsible for nearly $400,000 in stolen goods and countless deaths, and he's finally been caught. Now, a few lawmen and an indebted rancher (Bale) must take a day and a half long journey to put Wade on a train headed for prison (and execution). But Wade's gang, now lead by the vicious Charlie Prince (Foster) is on their trail.
This movie is so frustrating because it has two great actors and a great director. Bale, Crowe and Mangold do what they can, but there is a complete lack of material (one of the pitfalls of adapting a short story into a feature film). Aside from the occasional gunfight (which are well staged), the movie's pretty dull.
It's not the actor's fault. Bale makes Dan into an individual instead of the caricature that is in the script. Russell Crowe can do this role in his sleep, but he seems to be enjoying himself nonetheless. Ben Foster is okay, but he's much better suited for low-key roles rather than the villainous ones he's given (although he was good as a drugged out psycho in "Alpha Dog"). Logan Lerman is okay as Dan's son (whom Wade tries to seduce into a life of crime). Gretchen Mol is good as Dan's wife, but she talks like a modern woman, which creates a disconnect. Kevin Durand and Luke Wilson are incredibly annoying in small roles, but the key word here is small.
James Mangold knows what he's doing. Both "Identity" and "Kate & Leopold" are good movies, but here his work is sloppy. There are times when his shot selection is so confusing that it's hard to know what's going on until it's over. One talent that Mangold does show is directing action scenes. There are a few of them, and they are pretty exciting.
But the worst part of the movie is the ending. Not only is it not credible, it's a cheat after cheat. Had I been more involved in the movie I would have been angry, but since I didn't have any investment in the characters or their situation, it provoked little more than a shrug.
If Hollywood wants to rejuvenate the Western genre, they're going to have to make movies with better plots.
Starring: Christian Bale, Russell Crowe, Ben Foster, Logan Lerman, Gretchen Mol
Rated R for Violence and Some Language
James Mangold's 2007 version of Elmore Leonard's short story "3:10 to Yuma" brings to mind two other westerns: The Coen Brothers' "True Grit" and "High Noon." The former is because it's all about the beginning and the end; people talk, but they don't say anything of interest and nothing happens except for a few isolated gunfights. The similarities with "High Noon" are much more general. Both stories detail righteous men doing the right thing in the face of impossible odds. It's nowhere near as good as "High Noon," and about as dull as the greatly overrated "True Grit."
Ben Wade (Crowe) is the baddest outlaw in the west. Wade and his gang are responsible for nearly $400,000 in stolen goods and countless deaths, and he's finally been caught. Now, a few lawmen and an indebted rancher (Bale) must take a day and a half long journey to put Wade on a train headed for prison (and execution). But Wade's gang, now lead by the vicious Charlie Prince (Foster) is on their trail.
This movie is so frustrating because it has two great actors and a great director. Bale, Crowe and Mangold do what they can, but there is a complete lack of material (one of the pitfalls of adapting a short story into a feature film). Aside from the occasional gunfight (which are well staged), the movie's pretty dull.
It's not the actor's fault. Bale makes Dan into an individual instead of the caricature that is in the script. Russell Crowe can do this role in his sleep, but he seems to be enjoying himself nonetheless. Ben Foster is okay, but he's much better suited for low-key roles rather than the villainous ones he's given (although he was good as a drugged out psycho in "Alpha Dog"). Logan Lerman is okay as Dan's son (whom Wade tries to seduce into a life of crime). Gretchen Mol is good as Dan's wife, but she talks like a modern woman, which creates a disconnect. Kevin Durand and Luke Wilson are incredibly annoying in small roles, but the key word here is small.
James Mangold knows what he's doing. Both "Identity" and "Kate & Leopold" are good movies, but here his work is sloppy. There are times when his shot selection is so confusing that it's hard to know what's going on until it's over. One talent that Mangold does show is directing action scenes. There are a few of them, and they are pretty exciting.
But the worst part of the movie is the ending. Not only is it not credible, it's a cheat after cheat. Had I been more involved in the movie I would have been angry, but since I didn't have any investment in the characters or their situation, it provoked little more than a shrug.
If Hollywood wants to rejuvenate the Western genre, they're going to have to make movies with better plots.
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