3:10 to Yuma

Reviewed by:
Gene Newman

Just when you think the last great western has been made (thank you, Bad Girls) along comes 3:10 to Yuma. Two of the best guy actors alive, Christian Bale and Russell Crowe, hit the trails in this action-filled epic about duty, honor, and shooting the hell out of rotten-toothed hayseeds. Bale is a gimpy farmer trying to hold on to his land and family. Crowe is a recently captured gunfighting legend. Bale, in dire need of money, volunteers to be part of the crew tasked with making sure Crowe's put on a train to Yuma Prison. Since there weren't many shuttles in the 1800s, the journey to the train is the bulk of the movie as they fight off the unforgiving terrain, wild Indians, low-life miners, and Crowe's ability to escape at will. It's a simple plot—get this bad guy to the train—but full of deeper meaning. And even though it takes place a long time ago in a land far away, it's got more gunfights and bloodshed than a John Woo flick. Yeeehaw!

Also available on Blu-ray! (Note: The Blu-ray has a bunch of special features not available on the standard DVD, plus it looks a lot better.)