3:10 to Yuma (2007)

This is the 2007 remake of the 1957 film of the same name starring 2 Academy Award winners Christian Bale and Russell Crowe as Dan Evans and Ben Wade respectively.

Ben Wade is the ruthless leader of a band of outlaws. He is captured in Bisbee by the railroad guards after an ambush by Wade and gang.

Evans is a miserable rancher with one good leg and a family to support, comprising 2 sons. He wants to prove his worth to his sons and prove that he is a courageous dad. The elder son William in particular is very spunky, brave and doesn't respect his dad due to his physicality.

Evans volunteers to put Wade on the 3:10 train to Yuma prison at the Contention station. Wade's loyal band are always in pursuit, trying to free Wade. The other railroad and Pinkerton agents are eliminated or back-out one after the other. In the end, it is Evans who singlehandedly braves Wade's gang and takes him to the train.

What happens to Evans, his reputation with his son and whether Wade gets into the train is the finale.

The film is beautifully shot. The western style is perfectly depicted. Burly Russell Crowe works his charm while Bale as the sincere Evans fits in well too. Logan Lerman as William is another showstealer along with Ben Foster as Charlie, Wade's fierce loyalist. The climatic gun stunts as Evans singlehandedly takes on the enemy, are typically cinematic.

VERDICT: Beautifully shot with 2 stars adding to the charismatic value of the film. As a whole the film is watchable once.