ie:missional teaching. glocalizing. living. serving. repenting. incarnating. loving. repeating.

I went yesterday to see the new 3:10 to Yuma starring Russell Crowe and Christian Bale. As most now know it is the remake of the 1950’s classic starring Glenn Ford and Van Heflin, based on a short story by prolific author Elmore Leonard. (See Rotten Tomatoes reviews here, Focus on the Family here, and ScreenIt here.)

The movie itself is not merely a western, not even like Unforgiven or Pale Rider. There is a psychological bent to this film and a type of redemption, though it clearly falls short of actual spiritual redemption in Christ. Christian Bale is Dan Evans, a Civil War vet who, having lost a leg, is now trying to make a go of it as a rancher in Arizona (the reason he chose AZ is not revealed until late in the movie). Russell Crowe is the suave but demented and deeply wicked Ben Wade, the leader of a gang of thieves who specialize in high dollar stage and train robberies. Their paths intersect early on in the story and form the basis for the action and exploratory dialogue that form the remainder of the film.

The story hinges on whether Evans will be able, with a diminishing posse, to deliver Wade to the town of Contention and get him aboard the 3:10 prison train to the Yuma pen. The entirety of the story seems to take place across the space of about 48 hours. If you favor high action like the more recent Die Hard movies, then there might be too much talking in Yuma; if you favor lots of talking, then there may to much violence and blood.

I personally evaluate movies like this as to whether there is clarity between the evil and the good. On one level here, there is: Wade, though a Bible quoter, is completely and thoroughly evil. He is as manipulative and cold and Hannibal Lecter ever dreamed of being, and, sans one sequence, can never be trusted. The problem with Wade, as several characters discover, is that he can laugh with you while talking about “the weather” one moment and end your life the next. It is unfortunate to me that the typical Hollywood pattern of a Bible quoting killer is used, though, in an unusual twist, the reason is actually made plain and it’s foundational to the criminal’s twisted conscience.

On another level the clarity is more murky: the hero is obviously operating in the realm of common grace, not saving grace. As a matter of fact, the “good guy” knows no scripture at all, though his family does observe their gratefulness to God in a blessing led by Evan’s wife (played by Gretchen Mol). Unlike Talladega Nights where everything having to do with God is played for laughs, this scene is utterly serious as the family gives thanks to God while one at the table ignores it. In the final resolution, as motives become completely clear, it brings out the most redemptive portion of the story and displays a moving portrait of the lengths to which Dads will go to win their sons.

3:10 to Yuma is rated “R” for language (including the “f-bomb” twice), violence and bloody gore including graphic shootings, an exploding horse (yep), and a bullet removal.