Review: 3:10 to Yuma 4K UHD + Screen Caps

THE MOVIE — 4.0/5

(Originally written by Elyusha Vafaeisefat in 2007)

The popular opinion among the film industry is that the “western is dead.” There isn’t really any kind of evidence of that other than the fact that Hollywood is scared because they think that no one wants to see a western. What they don’t realize is that people still do in fact want to see westerns as long as they are done right. At least that’s what I think and I’d hate to think I am the only one who still loves a great old fashioned western. Though the setting of the old west is something that has become almost extinct, the ideals of the “old west” still appear in action or crime films.

Director James Mangold decided to re-make a western that has become somewhat of a classic but also has been lost over the years because of the Clint Eastwood, John Wayne or Peckinpah westerns that receive more attention. 3:10 to Yuma is originally based on a short story by Elmore Leonard, who most people might know for his crime novels such as ‘Jackie Brown’, ‘Out of Sight’ and ‘Get Shorty’. Many people don’t realize that Leonard has in fact written several westerns such as ‘Valdez is Coming’, ‘Hombre’ and ‘Joe Kidd’ just to name a few. Just as Hollywood turned away from the western many decades ago, it seemed as if Leonard too turned away from writing westerns. Though like Hollywood did, Leonard still incorporated western ideals in his crime novels even though the setting had been changed.

Mangold has actually admitted that 3:10 to Yuma had a huge influence on him as a filmmaker. He has also said that he took many themes and ideals from Yuma and incorporated them into one of his first films, Cop Land. Sylvester Stallone’s character even took the name Freddy Heflin as a nod to original Yuma actor Van Heflin. Though Yuma is in fact another of the never-ending remakes and sequels Hollywood has been churning out recently, I strongly believe that Mangold does a fantastic job of making this film separate from the original. Leonard’s original short story only covered the last third of what we saw in the 1957 film. The full development of the story has been credited rightfully to Halsted Welles, who wrote the screenplay for the 1957 version. For the 2007 version, Mangold teamed up with Michael Brandt to develop the story to an even greater extent. Mangold and Brandt’s additional developments are what make the 2007 version so much better and a much more complete film when compared to the original.

In the remake, we follow Dan Evans (CHRISTIAN BALE), a farmer who lost his foot in the Civil War and as a result, is unable to adequately support his family of four. In order to make sure his family will be fed and supported, Dan agrees to help transport outlaw Ben Wade (RUSSELL CROWE) to the 3:10 train to Yuma. What Mangold created is a great relationship between Wade and Evans. They both come from completely different backgrounds and are polar opposites in terms of behavior. Evans is the quiet, noble good guy while Wade is the vocal, slick bad guy. As Evans and the other men transport Wade, they quickly realize that it may not be as easy as it seems.

The entire cast does a fantastic job in terms of the performances. Bale and Crowe play off each other very well and they each help carry the film on their shoulders. We once again see why these two are easily two of the best actors working today. Bale brings his nobility and honor while Crowe brings his charisma and toughness to their respective characters. It’s a shame that neither one will likely get any awards attention for their performances in the film. Ben Foster stars as Charlie Prince, one of Wade’s right hand men who will do anything to get back his boss. Foster does a fantastic job as Prince and will surely be a household name in the coming years. Also turning in great performances are Peter Fonda, Alan Tudyk, Dallas Roberts, the young Logan Lerman, Gretchen Mol and Vinessa Shaw.

Cinematographer Phedon Papamichael captures the look of the western perfectly by balancing the gritty and beautiful portions of the New Mexican landscape. I also felt that the music from Marco Beltrami fit the film perfectly. Beltrami provides a score that is subtle when it needs to be and dramatic when the time is right (the 2 or 3 cues in the final act display this dynamic perfectly).

Of course, it is Mangold’s direction that brings this all together. Fresh off the huge hit Walk the Line, Mangold easily makes his best and most mature film to date. The gun battles are quick and to the point as Mangold wastes no time in dragging out the action sequences. As a result, the action sequences hit you hard because of the ferocity and economic nature of the direction from Mangold. I felt completely locked into the story for the final 20 minutes of the film and Mangold’s direction is obviously a huge part of why I was absorbed so much. I am a big fan of the original but I definitely have to say that the remake is a huge improvement, especially with what Mangold does with the ending. While the result of both endings is the same, I love how Mangold added extra layers to the final act.

In the end, 3:10 to Yuma is just a fantastic western that is beautifully acted and a skillfully directed film.

SPECIAL FEATURES – 3.5/5

This release comes with a glossy slip cover and inside is a redemption code for the Digital HD copy.

Audio Commentary – Director James Mangold offers an insightful track as the original 3:10 to Yuma had an influence on him and here he provides background on the project and gives anecdotal stories.

Featurettes:

• Destination: Yuma (20:58; HD) – This behind-the-scenes featurette covers the story behind this remake and presents on-set interviews with the cast and crew.
• Outlaws, Gangs and Posses (12:58; HD) looks at the myths behind the bad guys in the Old West. This is very much a history featurette and doesn’t deal with anything directly with the film.
• An Epic Explored (6:22; HD) – This featurette delves into the Western genre and its importance on American cinema.
• 3:10 to Score (7:38) is about the process of scoring the film by composer Marco Beltrami.
• From Sea to Shining Sea (19:39) examines the impact on the Transcontinental Railroad. Like the “Outlaws” one, this is a historical featurette.
• A Conversation with Elmore Leonard (5:24; HD) has the now late author discussing his novel and his career writing westerns.
• The Guns of Yuma (6:17; HD) checks out the variety of historically variety of weapons.

Historical Timeline of the West is an interactive feature where viewers can read what events took place from the 1860s through the 1890s.

Inside Yuma is an interactive feature that plays with the movie.

Deleted Scenes (7:55; HD) – There are seven scenes that failed to make the cut.

Theatrical Trailer (2:25; HD)

4K VIDEO – 4.5/5

AUDIO – 5.0/5

OVERALL – 4.0/5

Overall, 3:10 to Yuma is one of the best modern westerns that features precision direction from James Mangold and includes a stellar cast by Russell Crowe, Christian Bale and Peter Fonda not to mention Ben Foster, Alan Tudyk and Logan Lerman in supporting roles. As for this 4K release, it includes amazing video/audio transfers and a nice selection of bonus material.