Nappaland's DVDBlog

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3:10 TO YUMA (R)

(Lions Gate Home Entertainment)

Plot Summary: A rancher volunteers to take an outlaw to another town and put him on a train to the Yuma prison.

Reason for the Rating: Violence and some language.

Remember those good, old westerns we watched as kids, on both the TV and big screen? Shane, The Good, The Bad, and the Ugly, and of course, anything with John Wayne. It’s not often we see a great western anymore, and the remake of 3:10 to Yuma was one worth waiting for.

Dan Evans (Christian Bale) is a rancher that has fallen on hard times. A veteran of the Civil War, he has moved his family to the Arizona desert to make a life raising cattle. But, with the drought and a neighbor bent on running the Evans off their land, Dan has lost the respect of his eldest son, William (Logan Lerman) and his wife, Alice (Gretchen Mol). So it’s no surprise when he jumps at the chance to make enough money to get out of debt...except the task is a dangerous one.

A famous outlaw, Ben Wade (Russell Crow), has been captured and the marshal needs a posse to escort Ben to the town of Conception to catch the 3:10 train to Yuma. Now, Ben isn’t just physically dangerous, he’s a man of intelligence and depth, which is a combination which should cause one to be distrustful and wary.

Dan is accompanied on his journey by bounty hunter Byron McElroy (Peter Fonda) and several other men from town. Unbeknownst to Dan, William, who has read about Ben Wade and is fascinated by him, has also decided to follow behind at a safe distance. When the posse gets into some trouble, William joins the crew, but Dan is never comfortable with his son being in such close proximity to Ben.

As with most modern day westerns, 3:10 to Yuma shows the violent side of the western frontier…outlaws robbing stagecoaches and killing men on a whim. Ben Wade is an exceptional kind of outlaw though. He is an artist, philosopher, and quotes from Proverbs when it suits his needs. He believes in the darkness of his own soul, and takes what he wants, in any fashion warranted. He’s surrounded by a band of other evil men, who are willing to do his bidding. And then he meets Dan Evans, a man of integrity who is trying to hold his family together the best way he knows how. A man who is unwilling to take a bribe, even though the benefits could change the life of his family. A man who is willing to do the right thing, even if it might cost him his life. This kind of influence could change a man.

And then there’s William. Through much of the movie he shows open disdain for his father, whom he views as weak and unwilling to fight for his family. Until he meets Ben, the man he reveres, and sees the evil he is capable of committing. His father doesn’t fight Ben in the conventional way William expects, but through principles, morals, and his family. To see William grow to respect and understand his father is a beautiful story.

3:10 to Yuma is a great movie, because the characters have depth. We don’t just see the actions of the man, but the reasons behind the action. Abandonment in childhood and being wronged as an adult are both situations we can sympathize with and, for some of us, relate to. Russell Crow and Christian Bale are exceptional at bringing their characters to life, as do the other actors involved with the film. It was well written, directed, edited, and acted. .

DVDBLOG RECOMMENDS:

3:10 to Yuma is a movie you will want to see. Not only is it entertaining, but thought provoking. So invite mature family members to view the DVD with you and afterward, spend some time discussing it’s many themes of sacrifice, choices, and integrity.

AFTER THE SHOW: 

• What is something you admire about your parents?

• When have you had to make a decision that was difficult for others to understand?

• How did Dan exemplify Christ? In what ways are you an example of Christ to your family and friends?

JW

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