3:10 To Yuma - Blu-ray Review

4.8 Stars (out of 5)

Synopsis

In this remake of the 1957 classic, Dan Evans agrees to transport the captured outlaw Ben Wade to the nearest town with a rail station, where they'll catch a ride to court in Yuma. But all the while, Wade's henchmen are plotting their next move. (Buy Now $10.49)

Listen to the Review

Starring:

Christian Bale, Russell Crowe, Ben Foster, Alan Tudyk, Peter Fonda, Vinessa Shaw, Kevin Durand, Logan Lerman, Gretchen Mol, Dallas Roberts, Johnny Whitworth

Director:

James Mangold

Blu-ray Release Date:

January 8, 2008

Subtitles:

English, Spanish

Rating

Overall rating weighted as follows:
Audio 40%, Video 40%, Special Features 20%, Movie - its just our opinion so take it with a grain of salt

Audio 4.9 Stars (out of 5)

Dolby and DTS Demo Discs used as basis for comparison

• Subwoofer - 5.0 Stars
• Dialog - 4.5 Stars
• Surround Effects - 5.0 Stars
• Dynamic Range - 5.0 Stars

English: LPCM 7.1 (48kHz, 16-bit), English: Dolby Digital 5.1 EX

Bullets explode with heft and whiz by with pinpoint accuracy. Quite scenes even offer up interesting sounds with chirping crickets and crackling campfires that fill the room with the sounds of the wild west. Even knocks on doors come alive and made my dog jump off the couch and run to the door. Without counting the several gunfights, the most impressive audio scene was the arrival of the train to Yuma. It sounded as if the train was in my house, every chug-a-chug was filled with trembling bass, and the steam whistle was sharp and alive. This Blu-ray would have perfect audio score if it wasn't for the dialog in a few scenes. Sometimes the actors talk so low its hard to hear.

Video  4.8 Stars (out of 5)

Spears & Munsil Benchmark Blu-ray Edition used as basis for comparison

• Color Accuracy  - 5.0 Stars
• Shadow detail - 5.0 Stars
• Clarity - 4.5 Stars
• Skin tones - 4.5 Stars
• Compression - 5.0 Stars

Codec: VC-1, Resolution: 1080p, Aspect Ratio: 2.40:1, Original Aspect Ratio: 2.39:1

Colors are as true as a gunslingers aim, and help make the blue skies and deep canyons as beautiful as they are in real life. The film grain is light and help add a little warmth to the film. Clarity is clean enough to see all the beard whiskers you care to see, clothing textures show age, and it's even good enough to show that is west is a dusty dirty place. Skin tones are a little off sometimes, and make faces look a little flush. Dark scenes are handled very well and colors can still be scene in the shadows.

Bonus Features 4.5 Stars (out of 5)

• Audio Commentary with Director James Mangold
• "Destination Yuma" - A making of documentary.
• "3:10 to Score" - A featurette discussing the music of the film.
• "An Epic Explored" - Digging deeper into the story behind the film.
• "The Guns of Yuma" - Goes over the important weapons of the film.
• "Outlaws, Gangs and Posses" - Looks at outlaws and their history in America.
• "A Conversation with Elmore Leonard" - The author of the short story discusses the film.
• "Sea to Shining Sea" - A look at how the railroad changed America.
• Historical Timeline - Trace some of the most significant events in the evolving history of the West.
• Inside Yuma - Interactive multi-media presentation exploring the creation of 3:10 to Yuma.
• Deleted Scenes

Movie - 4.5 Stars (out of 5)

Review

3:10 to Yuma is not a standard good verses evil type of movie. It's a complicated film that dares to dive into the hearts of the characters in the story. The movie as originally a short story written by Elmore Leonard. It was then made into a movie in 1957 starring Glen Ford. This remake pays homage to the original movie and story, but includes a few twists and additional story to add some emotional complexity. One major reason to watch the movie is the outstanding performances. Russell Crow's portrayal of the charismatic bad guy makes him seam cool and dangerous at the same time. Christian Bale does an outstanding by playing the role of the desperate man that would do anything for his family and the love of his son, and is the heart and soul of the film. The story is action packed, thought provoking, and even touching. It should be considered a classic, but will probably live on as a hidden gem.