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Wade's odd brand of moral relativism makes him an interesting character—especially in the film's final moments, when his mythologized shell begins to crack. But it is Bale's Evans whom I found most interesting—and frustrating—to watch. On one hand it is easy to root for him and sympathize. He's just a family man, protecting what's his and serving a greater justice. But Evans' motivations become more ambiguous as the film goes on (and this is chiefly a testament to Bale's nuanced, restrained acting). Is it really about the reward money or serving justice? Or is it a pride issue? Some deeper psychological drive that makes him—in the end—not all that different from Wade? As he is forced to kill dozens of people and put his own family in grave danger, these questions become ever more pertinent. At what point does proving your honor become secondary to protecting yourself and the lives of your loved ones?

Dan takes it upon himself to get Wade to the train in time

Despite its deeper psychological layers, Yuma is first and foremost a pulp western. As such, it features top-notch action sequences, pretty much from start to finish. There are horse-and-carriage chases (with an amazing wagon-mounted machine gun turret), massive shootouts, cattle stampedes, a blown-up horse, and a psychotic Luke Wilson (in an uncredited cameo) using some electro-torture device on the captured Wade. As westerns go, Yuma is more Robert Rodriguez than John Ford. Even so, the violence is not excessive; it feels pretty accurate for its unlawful setting in the wild West.

Much of the tension of the film comes from what we know is coming at 3:10 (we are made aware of the countdown by constant shots of pocket watches, etc.—a nod to High Noon). As the train's arrival becomes imminent, so too does the dread of an unavoidably nasty fight. Wade's gang catches up to Evans's posse in Contention (the aptly-named town which will serve as the setting for the violent showdown), and their second-in-command leader, Charlie Prince (Ben Foster), unleashes a ruthless wrath. Foster's Prince, who is really the worst scoundrel in the bunch (at least when it comes to brute, trigger-happy violence), is a deliciously wicked character who steals most of the scenes he's in. Bale and Crowe are both marvelous, but Foster (a phenomenal young actor who wowed critics with his turn earlier this year in Alpha Dog) really captures the soulless, unruly spirit of the western outlaw.

In the end, Yuma portrays a West that is stark, barren, and morally ambiguous. Like all the great "revisionist westerns" of recent years (Unforgiven, The Proposition), very few characters are all good or all bad. Everyone is a mixture (just as Evans and Wade are, in a way, two sides of the same coin) and everyone has an opportunity to change—to redeem whatever rotten past they came from. Predictably, then, the ending (which sees the train heading off to Yuma) is rather unresolved. Like the broad horizon that dominates the western frame, the sky's the limit on possibility.

Talk About It

1. Wade asks a Christian character if he's ever read another book in his life besides the Bible. "No need" is the response given. What sorts of stereotypes of Christianity are on display in this film?
2. How do you interpret the "sacrificial" scene at the end of the film? Is justice achieved? And for whom?
3. What is the film proposing as the definition of bravery or honor? Do you agree or disagree with this proposition?

The Family Corner

3:10 to Yuma is rated R for violence and some language. If not for a few strong expletives (some of which are uttered by a 14-year-old), the movie could probably have been a PG-13. There is a lot of violence, but nothing overly graphic—just a lot of shooting and gunfights. There is one scene of Crowe drawing a portrait of a naked woman, but the only nudity you see is in his drawing. Aside from an overall gritty nature, the film has a solid moral compass and includes interesting discussions about right and wrong, the Bible, and honor. For older, mature teens accompanied by parents, this is an entertaining film that families might enjoy together.

Photos © Copyright Lionsgate

© Brett McCracken subject to licensing agreement with Christianity Today International. All rights reserved. Click for reprint information.

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