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*I have not seen the original film nor any of the other remakes so I am going to review this film as if it stands on
its own. This causes problems, I know, but I see no other way to do this.*
Oh, what to say, how to review this film objectively and not get up on my soapbox
and sing its praises. Yeah. Hard to do. But not impossible. You know me, when I like a movie it's known. I like this
movie. There. I said it. On to passing judgement. Haha. Judgement. There's no lack of it in this film, and truly, judgement
is passed as easily as we breathe. And it's not just the characters passing judgement, I can feel the audience doing it as
well. But as much as we want, it starts off being easy to judge everyone, but by the end of the film it gets harder and harder
to do so. We want it to be thus: Ben Wade is evil and needs to be hanged. His gang is evil and also needs to be punished.
Dan Evans is good and doesn't deserve......what he gets (uh uh. That's as far as I go without spoiling anything major).
But who's really good? Who's really evil? It's true tha the good characters here, i.e. Dan Evans, the sherrif, and Mr. Butterfield,
are good, but they're rude, some of them are trying to weasel Dan's land away from him, they care only about money, and they
run from Ben and his gang when they should be fighting them. And when it comes to the others, especially Ben Wade, the line
becomes so smudged that there is almost no line at all. In the end it's not just the audience who can't judge anyone fairly
anymore, it's the characters as well (this is ultimately why Dan's son Will can't kill Ben--because he knows he's not purely
evil, he's not completely bad. Will doesn't know him at all. This is also why no one else kills Ben, including Dan. Ben
Wade alone seems to have the power to judge others, or at least he thinks he does.). It's difficult to say who Ben Wade really
is. This movie reminds me alot of 'High Plains Drifter' and Sergio Leone's films, but unlike those, this film isn't so much
a puzzle as it is a look at humanity and the individual person (I must say, this film has nothing on Clint Eastwood, and it's
no 'Unforgiven', but it's excellent in its own ways.). Ben Wade is a lot like 'Drifter's' the Stranger, not really evil but
not really good (although my timeline tells me that 'Drifter' and Mr. Leone's films came after the original 'Yuma', so it
could be that the Man With No Name followed Ben Wade, rather than the other way around.......I'm sure watching the original
film would explain this.....). But Ben has a history, we know who he is, and he has a background. He also doesn't come to
town to do justice. He's not out for revenge or whatever. Religious symbolism is abundant in thjs film, though I don't think
Ben is the devil. He wears black and rides a black horse, and he's certainly very corrupt, but he's more like the Angel of
Death than anything else. He's certainly not some holy figure. And he's definitely not at odds with his religious side either.
He is, more or less, a sinful, common man who makes a living the only way he seems to be able to in the bleak West, while
at the same time doing God's will, so to speak, and punishing those who deserve it and passing judgement on others, however
reluctantly he seems to do so (note the name of his pistol, the Hand of God). He certainly doesn't flaunt his religious side,
and he certainly doesn't ever make it clear that what he does is God's will, or that he thinks it is. He's ambiguous about
everything, which makes us wonder who he really is and what his purpose is, not to mention what he really believes. I don't
believe he's really evil, despite what he says. He has compassion for Dan (despite how their story ends; again, passing judgment,
Dan is good but he did wrong by Ben by betraying him in the bar and having him arrested, and also holding him up in the hotel
room and ultimately being Ben's enemy, so to speak--although they never were really enemies--but hence the end.....) and his
family; he may steal their horses but he gives them back, unharmed, saddled up; he may have killed some of their cows but
he pays the damages in return; and he allows Dan to take him to the train in the end. At one point he remarks to Will that
he couldn't ride with Charlie and his gang if he wasn't 'rotten as hell'. But he isn't; he just understands men. He understands
people. He understands why Dan must get him on the train: it isn't about the money. It's about proving how strong and able
he is to his son and himself (Dan). He understands why others want him dead: it's about the law and safety. And he understands
why Charlie and the rest of his gang would do anything for him: they need him, they need a father figure in their lives.
It's about love and respect and friendship that in a place where it's every man for himself, to have someone you can count
on is priceless. He also understands their vicious and ruthless nature, and also why everyone will desert Dan in the end.
Eventually Dan comes to understand Ben and understand that there is no way he's getting out of this run to the train in the
end; but he doesn't care. He must do it. Will also comes to understand as well, as much as he doesn't want to. Charlie
too comes to understanding, however a little too late. Ben is by far the most complex character in the film, and it's hard
not to like him but also not to despise him. He might be a ruthless killer and rob and steal as easily and carelessly as
if he were blinking, but there's another side to him. He loves theater, he loves to draw as well, and can recite the Bible
as easliy and breathing. He has no problem paying Dan the damages he owes him, and he is civilized (he has good table manners
and even doesn't like fat or gristle on his meat). This is an interesting film in that all of the characters are immediately
likable (well, those that we're supposed to like are) and we sympathise with them. The acting in this film is so
amazing; I could watch Russel Crowe all day in any film. He can do no wrong in a film, at least not one that I've yet to
see. He's so perfect as Ben Wade and completely immerses himself in the role (as he is known to do in all of his films;
I wonder how many hours he spent on this one.). Christian Bale is also perfect as Dan Evans. He's immediately likable and
does well to make it clear that we have a complex yet humble man who just wants everyone to respect him and let him live his
life. Ben Foster is wonderful as Charlie Prince, the vicious and cold-blooded right hand man of Ben's gang. His character
is so devoted to Ben and so deeply respects him and admires him that I wonder if this is really the case with Mr. Foster and
Mr. Crowe in real life. He's amazing, and he can hold his own admirably in the midst of these better known film legends.
I call for a few Oscars here......I also liked the doctor Potter (ahem, veterinarian). He's the comic relief here, but in
a clever and witty way, not out of place but perfect for the film. I liked the clever little tribute to another Russel Crowe
film, 'Master and Commander' (which is like the greatest film in the entire world), and this I mean in the nasty and really
gross surgery scene where the doctor removes the bullet from Byron McElroy (in 'Commander' it was a little different......);
it's also clever that Doc Potter looks a lot like Paul Bettany's Dr. Maturin in said film. I also noticed a tribute to 'The
Good, the Bad, and the Ugly'; when the doctor dies he asks if they got away and is told yes, them smiles and dies, similar
to the captain in 'Good/Bad' smiling at the destruction of the bridge and then dying (again, shame on me, not having seen
the original 'Yuma', I don't know if this scene was there, so it could be the other way around.....a 'Yuma' tribute in 'Good/Bad'.
But......). Now for the more minor notes.......the music is good, it keeps the Western style, simple yet notable
and at times adds to the action in the film and others is simply there, never taking away from what is happening. Heavy use
of guitars here, which is good for a Western. The entire film is done in true Western style, which means, simple plot and
strong character development. It also means good use of landscapes, long shots of the barren plain, and good use of the scenery.
There's that certain Western feel, which is nice, having a real, true old fashioned Western here in 2007 where the Western
has been dead a while. It also means, however, a rather sluggish plot at first and then more action in the end. Which is
a little annoying here, but at least this film isn't that long (just under two hours! a miracle!). Still, it takes a while
for everything to get going, oh, but once it does, it doesn't stop. The last run through the town is the best ultimate stand
ever. It's beyond words. In fact the entire end of the film is superb. And there's a bit of a cliffhanger......does Ben
really get away? What happens next? Unfortunately we don't know. But maybe that's a good thing. The actors and director
also make good use of props, especially at the end. Dan and Ben are running across roofs and though construction to get to
the train; nothing is off limits. The plot is so thick like tar. So thick and gooey and yet so rich and brilliant, like
a Turkish ice cream I had this summer which is so thick it needs to be eaten with a knife and fork. Like caramel. It's also
commendable how the director can keep the suspense and tension with so little going on. The moments waiting in the hotel
for 3.00 are intense. The actors contribute to this, they play their roles so well. I don't think the film or characters
would have been nearly as wonderful if the cast were different, so I laud the casting. The only person who wasn't any good
was the boy who plays Will. He got on my nerves the moment I saw him, and he just got worse as the film wore on. I swear
he had on the same expression the entire time he was on screen. I also don't know what happened with Mr. Hollander (that
guy who burnt Dan's barn, well, we know what happens to him--I digress, I know Ben says he killed him because he took his
horse, but I can't help but wonder if he killed him for Dan, because Dan couldn't do it......I really think Ben likes Dan,
especially in the end). That plot thread kind of disappeared in the end....it was still there but it faded. It's also a
violent film, which is to be expected, but at least it's not too graphic. It's violent but in a sense that violence is an
everday thing in the West, what is to be expected. So in that sense it never feels unecessary or over the top. Yet it's
brutal and ruthless and will probably make you cringe. I see no reason why you shouldn't see this film. It's amazing,
supremely excellent. It's art. Not a masterpiece, but it's pretty darn close. Everything is pretty much pitch perfect here.
Don't miss this train, whatever you do, for fear of your life. I warned you.
Best moment: The final run through
Contention; can you feel the adrenaline? Worst moment: I don't find any. Best quote: Ben: 'Women will
do things to you you'll never forget.' Doc Potter: 'They'll give you a disease you'll never forget....' Ahem. But yes, even
I laughed. Why you should see it: Uh, because it's incredibly awesome? The acting is amazing, everyone gets an
Oscar! In a perfect world.....It's such a powerful film. Brilliantly done. The plot is superb. Why you shouldn't:
Well, it's a Western......but even that shouldn't stop you.
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