Movie remakes usually live in the shadow of the original, often being unfavorable compared to what came before them. So, it’s especially noteworthy when a remake is judged to have surpassed its inspiration, and that’s the case with “3:10 to Yuma”.
This 2007 action movie pairs Russell Crowe and Christian Bale in an epic Western that crackles in all the right ways. It blends thrilling moments with character-driven drama and was judged by many (though not quite everybody) to be a step up from the 1957 adaption of Elmore Leonard's short story of the same name.
“3:10 to Yuma” is currently making a play for the Netflix No. 1 spot having broken into the streaming service’s top 10. It’s currently ranked at No. 6 but could rise higher in the coming days as it has poorly received movies “The Union”, “Aloha” and “The Deliverance” above it.
So, if you’re looking for a jolt of midweek excitement on Netflix then “3:10 to Yuma” is the ideal choice, but if you want to know a little bit more about this action-packed Western before you settle down to streaming it, here are all the details you need…
What is ‘3:10 to Yuma’ about?
Set in 19th-century Arizona, notorious outlaw Ben Wade (Russell Crowe) has been terrorizing the locals for too long. When he’s finally captured by lawmen, his reign of criminal activities appears to be over. Now there’s just one final step to bring him to justice, getting Wade to the town of Contention where he’ll be put on the 3:10 train to Yuma Territorial Prison.
Volunteering to escort the ruthless criminal is a rancher named Dan Evans (Christain Bale). But the journey will not be an easy one, Wade’s loyal gang members are desperate to free their leader, and Wade himself has no intention of being taken to prison without putting up a fight either. However, Evans sees this mission as his last chance to lift his family out of spiraling debts and redeem himself in the eyes of his eldest son (Logan Lerman) and refuses to walk away before the job is complete.
As the journey becomes increasingly more dangerous, and the stakes are raised even higher, a mutual respect begins to form between Wade and Evans. “3:10 to Yuma” mixes themes of honor and morality, with white-knuckle shoot-outs and strong character drama keeping you hooked throughout.
‘3:10 to Yuma’ is a rare remake done right
Remakes have a pretty bad reputation these days. You only have to look at the most recent attempt to reimagine a classic for a modern audience, “The Crow”, as the latest example of a remake that does little more than tarnish the memory of the original. But that’s what makes “3:10 to Yuma” so impressive, it takes the bones of the ‘50s classic and creates something new, and in my opinion, even better.
There’s a fantastic chemistry between Russell Crowe and Christian Bale, with each actor feeling extremely well-suited for their roles. And while their relationship dynamic plays out in a fairly predictable fashion, it’s still well-crafted and feels natural rather than forced.
A lot of the brilliance of this remake also comes from the direction of James Mangold, the American filmmaker certainly knows his way around an action movie having also helmed Wolverine-spinoff “Logan” and last year’s “Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny”.
I’m not the only one that thinks this remake improves upon the original. The 2007 version of “3:10 to Yuma” holds a strong 86% viewers score on Rotten Tomatoes, while the original is lower at 79%. Granted, the sample size difference is quite stark with the remake having more than a quarter of a million ratings, and the 1957 effort having just over 5,000.
Critics were also impressed with Mangold's "3:10 to Yuma" remake rating it a very strong 89%, and the RT “Critics Consensus” notes that “This remake of a classic Western improves on the original, thanks to fiery performances from Russell Crowe and Christian Bale as well as sharp direction from James Mangold.
Stream ‘3:10 to Yuma’ on Netflix right now
To be honest, I’m not usually a fan of the Western genre, but “3:10 to Yuma” is of such high quality that even the genre trappings that don’t typically appeal to me are easy to gloss over. This action movie is a thrilling ride, but its greatest strength is its two leads, who elevate the material above fun-but-forgettable thrills and give the movie real substance.
This movie is more than worthy of its strong ranking within the Netflix top 10, and I won’t be shocked if it climbs higher over the coming days. So, if you’ve never seen “3:10 to Yuma” I strongly urge you to get it in your Netflix watchlist right now, and even if you’ve enjoyed it before, I can confirm that it holds up well, and I actually liked it even more the second time around.
“3:10 to Yuma” is far from the only movie in the Netflix top 10 worth watching right now, there’s also a seriously fun action-adventure movie starring the world’s fastest hedgehogs.
Stream “3:10 to Yuma” on Netflix now
