3:10 to yo man we been here before?

3:10 TO YUMA (2007)

So I was raised on westerns, why Boonsweet's own lovin Mum, done fed him quite the array of Eastwood, and John Wayne, and well who really cares about the rest. Now all westerns are measured against two films in my mind. The first, and highest held, "The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly". The second, the proof that after 1980, a good western could still be made, "Tombstone".

So question is can 3:10 to Yuma stand with these, it's peers.

You won't hear me at any point stating, "the original was better, because". I'm reviewing the '07 baby, and besides, have any of you Booniacs seen the original, and therefore would you freaking care what I had to say about it... heck no.

SO this is the first big screen western in a while. And after watching it, I have to say, not sure it will inspire a trend. First, the acting in this film is amazing, Christian Bale, Russell Crowe, and a freaking buncha hey its that guy from 'Firefly', and look that dude from "well all kinds of shit", and hey that's the godfather from "Old school" in a beard... every role, even Bale's wife, played by I believe a long forgotten Gretchen Mol, are fantastic. The writing is crisp, well for a while anyway. And the directing is very smooth, with more than a few western familiars. But you're asking yourself, with all this my Lord, my leader Boonsweet, it seems you are less than thrilled.

Aye, well deduced young reader, may your self love session bring you thrice the joy it usually does.... it is true, I am sad, not happy having just finished this film.

Here's my thing, a film can either be dumb, or smart... those are your options, it never works if you try to mix the two. But time and time again writer's seem to try to get away with it. I mean think about it folks, how many times you been just loving a flick, and as it comes to a close, you feel yourself settling into, 'well, i guess it was alright'. In this film, I was drawn in, completely. The type of film where you forget you're watching a movie, and you just get screen loved right into the middle of the story. So watching the end of this film fall apart was painful.

Stare showdown NOW! Go!

So plot, bad guy gets caught, Crowe. Good down on his luck family man, Christian Bale, desperate, takes on the job of helping escorting Crowe to Justice. All the while trying to survive the impending doom of Crowe's gang, and earn the respect of his son. Who ends up tagging along, and proving he has big brass balls.

So western trials and tribulations ensue, Indian attacks, double crosses, lots of hills, and railroads, all very entertaining. And thus we arrive at the end, Bale, and what's left of the crew trying to get Crowe on the train... and for the specials in the audience, that would be the '3:10 to yuma'.

First how many times does a bad guy have to end up having a soul.... shit, spoiler. But really, what is it, why can't the bad guy just be bad? In this film, it DOES NOT WORK. Crowe is a big time, kill a man by digging out his throat with handcuffs, type of dude, him going all grey area on the moral express is kinda like Hannibal Lector deciding to pick up a Martha Stewart cook book.

Also, aside from my issues with the villain, two very stupid things happen; at the end Bale's son helps him by standing mere feet from all of Crowe's gang, firing his gun in the air to stir up cattle. "Um, hey bad guys, maybe someone should shoot that kid that's, you know, right there, shooting, and waving his gun in the air". And then after, and i am very much trying to not give the ending away, because hey, if you have have the respect I have for Bale, you might chance it anyway, but basically big climax, the bad guy with a soul thing. Um, but for a slight problem with our hero Bale... yeah a slight problem. And then at the end there's like some, don't worry kiddies, he'll be free in no time in  regards to Crowe, only do I really know if i want him free... no, ... I mean come on. You can't go from sad dad son moment, to happy sunset trails.... Oh yeah, and I like my westerns with at least one damn draw showdown moment...

movie scale 2.5 out of 5 stars

western scale 2.5 out of 5 stars

ONE LINE REVIEW - Russelled up some mediocre western. 

Boonsweets off to polish his six shooter....