Are remakes typically better than the original? Most of the time they aren’t, but this film is
different. The 2007 remake of 3:10 to Yuma was definitely better. Each actor in this movie preformed
with such robust precision that almost anybody could stay connected and enjoy this film from beginning to
end. Russell Crowe’s performance was beyond a perfect fit for this movie (Playing ‘Ben Wade’). He
displayed a very outstanding performance as the leader of a devious band of outlaws and gave a very
unique portrayal of the attitude outlaw’s possessed around time period. As for Christian Bale, playing the
honest rancher and civil war veteran that lost his foot (Dan Evans), this was one of his best movies he
has ever featured in. There was no point in this film that either actor displayed superior performance in
terms of acting and was very interesting to see these modern day movie stars portray the west back
then.
The 1957 classic was your average black-and-white Western with a low budget appearance and
had that satisfying 1950s ending where Dan Evans successfully delivers his prisoner ‘Ben Wade’ to the
train right on time and claims the reward that saves his ranch.
This version wasn’t necessarily bad, but is considered fairly dry with Hollywood’s standard for
“outstanding” films. Currently, the word “updated” in a theatrical aspect could only be defined as a more
brutal, sexier, bloodier, muddier, dirtier, and characterized with foul language film. Hollywood took this
movie to a whole new level by ending it with Dan being shot by one of Crowe’s right-hand men, even
through Crowe had told him not to shoot, and ended his life in the arms of son. This in-turn caused Crowe
to draw his pistol, and instantly kill the man that had just saved him from the one-way trip to Yuma. Crowe
then gives closure to son and tragic death of Dan Evans by jumping aboard the train and getting into the
cell. Although they completely changed the ending and added a bunch of things that wasn’t in the
original, Lions Gate Entertainment not only improved the story, but they surpassed the overall quality and
gave its predecessor the appearance of being dated and irrelevant and by doing so, they definitely
updated it.
Historically speaking, this movie takes place around post civil war and truly reflects the time
period of land expansion, cattle herding, horseback riding, and the use of The Transcontinental Railroad.