Starring Russell Crowe, Christian Bale, Peter Fonda
Based on Elmore Leonard short story
Studio: Tree Line Film/Lionsgate
Video: 2.40:1 anamorphic/enhanced for 16:9 widescreen color, 1080p HD
Audio: English Uncompressed 7.1 PCM, DD Surround EX 5.1, DD 2.0
Subtitles: English, Spanish
Extras: (all in HD) Audio commentary with Director James Mangold, “3:10 to Score” – soundtrack featurette, “Sea to Shining Sea” documentary, “Conversation with Elmore Leonard” featurette, “The Guns of Yuma,” Historical timeline of the West, Inside Yuma Blu-ray interactive experience, “Destination Yuma” – making-of documentary, “An Epic Explored,” “Outlaws, Gangs and Posses” – documentary, Deleted scenes
Length: 122 minutes
Rating: *****
Those who have been waiting for a decent western since “Unforgiven” have been rewarded herewith. I not personally a westerns fan but I liked it very much. Fine acting from both Crowe and Bale, a somewhat different western environment and story, and a grand finale featuring a wonderful old steam engine. (The extras reveal that they only laid a very short distance of track for the engine to run on.)
The builders of the Southern Railroad had been harassed by outlaw Ben Wade (Crowe) and his merciless gang. The builders also dealt with simple farmer Dan Evans by burning down his barn to get him to leave so the railroad could come thru his land, and cut off his supply of water in the drought-ridden area. Dan comes to town to seek justice for his wrongs from the railroad officials and almost accidentally becomes involved in the cornering of Wade and his arrest by the railroad people. Dan is offered the job of getting Wade to Bisby to meet the 3:10 train to prison in Yuma a few days later, and he takes it partly for the $200 it pays.
Wade’s gang is after them to free the outlaw, and they stop at nothing to do so. The journey becomes more and more violent and each of the two men undergoes major changes.
This is one of the first Blu-rays I’ve viewed in which all the extras are also in hi-def, and they’re very well-done featurettes as well. The one on the Pinkerton detectives that were hired by the railroad for protection is quite interesting since some of the movie characters are Pinkertons. The historical materials on the outlaw gangs are also of interest – how the townspeople often cooperated to fight the outlaws themselves (though that’s certainly not the case in this film). Author Leonard talking about his writing work and this story in particular also adds depth to one’s understanding of the film. Some of the special stunts, such as flipping over the stagecoach, are explained and shown in detail. The western landscapes and cinematography are excellent, and the uncompressed soundtrack delivers the gunshots and explosions with greatest intensity and realism, as well as conveying the subtle night sounds of the desert. The town’s clock bell ringing three o’clock gave me quite a start.
– John Sunier
