the movieGOOMBA

3 GOOMBAS

I would never want to live in the wild wild west. Everyone is always dirty, people have wooden teeth, sugar is rationed, oranges are treats only at Christmas, and people get shot at almost every day. The only way you could get me to live in a place like that would be to promise that I would be a badass outlaw chick. Like Laura Croft of the old West. Unfortunately for me, I’m no Laura Croft, but on the good side, I only have to experience the rugged, savageness of outlawed cowboys as a voyeur.

The western, 3:10 to Yuma, stars former Gladiator, Russell Crowe, and current Batman Christian Bale as infamous outlaw, Ben Wade, and struggling rancher, Dan Evans. Evans is having a hard time making ends meet and when the opportunity to escort criminal to Yuma for a $200 reward arises, Evans jumps at the chance despite the very real threat of Wade’s erratically crazy and unforgiving posse.

So, did you notice the crazed, un-caring, highly skilled gunman who’s in man-love with Ben Wade? That’s Ben Foster, Tucker, from Disney’s short-lived TV series, Flash Forward. He’s been playing some insane roles lately, and the part of Charlie Prince has cinched his ability to act like a deranged man. I didn’t doubt you in Alpha Dog, Tuck; you can take normal human being roles now.

I thoroughly enjoyed the character of Ben Wade. He is gentlemanly, he keeps his word, and he’s cunningly smart - but he’s the bad guy. It is such an interesting duality. He steals a man’s horse, promising to return it, and he does. He kills anyone and everyone without remorse, without conscious, but he returns a man’s animal. He quotes the Bible through the film, but ignores the “Thou shall not kill” bit. Not to mention he maintains the loyalty of gang who could kick some serious ass. Ben Wade is kind of cool – and evil.

Though the movie revolves around the relationship (if you could even call it that) between Evans and Wade, its only interesting because Wade doesn’t have relationships. He’s a one-man show, and the mutual fascination between both characters is curiously appealing to watch.

3:10 to Yuma is a pretty good western. It’s no Tombstone, but luckily I didn’t really like Tombstone. In a time when westerns are sparse, 3:10 to Yuma is good enough to fill the void.