'3:10 to Yuma' Evokes Mixed Emotions

"3:10 to Yuma" Poster

I couldn’t decide if I liked this 1957 Western remake or not, but I realized the only thing that bothered me about “3:10 to Yuma” was that the good guy didn’t win in the end. I have decided that this ending made the film better, although it disagreed with my expectations.

Dan Evans is struggling to keep his ranch, make money, and save his sick son. He opposes the big shots in town who aim to put a railroad through his land and take everything he has.

Logan Lerman and Christian Bale

He takes a job to deliver a criminal to a train station, and send him to his condemnation. The criminal, Ben Wade, is as mean as the devil himself and Evans is expecting a large payment in return for this risky service.

A team of men start their trek to the Yuma train station, but experience interference from Wade’s party. Ben Wade’s gun curses the men who are trying to have him hanged, and they are murdered one by one.

Evans understands that people usually don’t take responsibility for commitments and intends on completing the task, even when success is improbable. He reflects on his journey to Yuma, saying, “When you think about it, which I have been lately, they weren’t paying me to walk away, they were paying me so they could walk away.”

Because he is the underdog, the audience roots for Dan Evans to be the one to transport Ben Wade to the station.

Yuma Train Station

The ending goes against the human protocol of seeing the hero prevail and leaves the audience numb with a flood of emotions.

Christian Bale, Russell Crowe, Logan Lerman, and Ben Foster had commendable performances and tugged on the audience’s heart strings. Christian Bale was well-suited to play the maltreated, unlikely hero, and Logan Lerman was befitting for the role of his head-strong son. Russell Crowe portrayed the cold villain, with and unlikely soft spot, impeccably. His sidekick, Charlie, was performed by Ben Foster, who made the audience believe that he was ignorantly loyal.

4.5 stars for “3:10 to Yuma” in consideration of its full range of emotions and great acting talents.

"3:10 to Yuma" Cast