3:10 to Yuma

To the mainstream world of cinema, “the western” has been close to becoming officially extinct. It hasn’t been since Clint Eastwood directed “Unforgiven” in 1992, that a western genre film was so marketable and praise worthy. Now, nearly 15 years later, a restoration process has taken place. In many respects, Hollywood’s newest western, “3:10 to Yuma,” is a journey back in time. As a remake from 1957’s minor classic of the same name, “Yuma’s” inventive style not only updates an original story, but also resurrects a dying genre from cinema’s past.

Without forgetting any of the admirably distinct qualities of a classic western, director James Mangold (director, “Walk the Line”) pushes the limits of the genre in a definitive exploration of character development. Aside from being an exhilarating action film, “3:10 to Yuma” plays like a psychological drama infringing on moral temptations and values of its characters.

Christian Bale plays a struggling farmer named Dan Evans who offers to help transport legendary outlaw Ben Wade, played by Russell Crowe. With the combination of these two actors, Mangold is able to tell a story deeper than the simple action of outlaws robbing a train. When the film rolls around to its climactic finale, we distinguish the main characters, not by the color of their jackets or hats, but instead by the decisions they make due to the time spent with each other. In this respect, Crowe’s presence is unmistakably tense and powerful.

It’s not like Mangold’s work wasn’t cut out for him with two of Hollywood’s best working actors in the lead roles. The task of making a western marketable to the general audience could have seemed a bit more daunting than the project itself. “3:10 to Yuma” enthralls die hard fans, but tries desperately to engage the audience that doesn’t necessarily like westerns.

The true heart of a western has stayed beautifully intact in Mangold’s vision of raw landscapes and dirt-in-the-wounds grittiness. While it’s sprinkled with a psychological intellect that is not normally found in most movies these days, “3:10 to Yuma” makes way for more translations even if western movies still have a long way to come.

3:10 to Yuma

Rated R for violence and some language

Runtime: 117 min.

Starring: Russell Crowe, Christian Bale, Ben Foster and Alan Tudyk

Directed by James Mangold