3:10 To Yuma

3:10 To Yuma is the story of a rancher, played flawlessly by Christian Bale, who must escort an outlaw, played flawlessly by Russel Crowe, to a train which will take him to prison, and perhaps his death. It is a simple plot, which isn't hard to believe as it is based on a short story, but it is not a simple film. The two aforementioned main characters are complex and fascinating. The relationship between them is a thrill to watch and is immensely rewarding towards the end. Eventually the two men end up in a room alone, equipped with brilliant dialogue, and it creates a legendary scene that leads to the surprising climax. The action is secondary to the character development and the superb acting. It may not be surprising that Crowe and Bale are terrific but the supporting cast is impressive as well, led by Ben Foster, Peter Fonda and Alan Tudyk. Although some of the gun battles are entertaining, the film is most intense when "Ben Wade" and "Dan Evans" are engaged in conversation. Someone looking for a good old-fashioned shoot 'em up western will be disappointed. Someone looking for a brilliant character study will be more than satisfied.