George P. Cosmatos’ iconic Western Tombstone is regarded as one of the greatest Westerns of all time by just about any metric, and there is an underrated Western from 2007 that acts as the ideal follow-up for it. The Western adventure has developed into one of the most beloved genre films of the last few decades thanks in large part to Tombstone’s memorable quotes, all delivered by a star-studded cast of characters led by Kurt Russell and Val Kilmer. The 1993 classic is loosely based on real-life events from the American West, including the Gunfight at the O.K. Corral.
Tombstone is notable for its exceptional character development, as each of the Hollywood A-listers in the cast portrays a historical figure with gusto and charisma. Val Kilmer is usually singled out for his performance as the one-liner machine Doc Holliday, but Kurt Russell, Sam Elliott, and Bill Paxton are all terrific as well. Many believe the quality of a Western is defined by the quality of its villains, and both Powers Boothe and Michael Biehn shine in that regard as Curly Bill Brocius and Johnny Ringo. One modern Western matches the tone of Tombstone and the quality of its villain.
3:10 To Yuma Is A Great Next Western To Watch After Tombstone
It Both Matches The Tone And Complements Its Strengths
James Mangold’s 2007 Western 3:10 to Yuma is based on a short story from 1953 by noted Western, crime, and thriller writer Elmore Leonard. Like Tombstone, 3:10 to Yuma’s cast is quietly loaded with an incredible array of talent, led by Russell Crowe as the silky smooth outlaw Ben Wade and Christian Bale as beleaguered farmer Dan Evans, who volunteers to help put the captured Wade on a train to Yuma prison. Many classic Western tropes are present, and just like Tombstone, 3:10 to Yuma revels in them, largely thanks to Mangold’s film-making talents.
Just as Tombstone is defined by its memorable characters, 3:10 to Yuma allows for the spotlight to shine on its entire cast while still never losing sight of its leads in Bale and Crowe. Crowe’s Ben Wade in particular is one of the more memorable villains in all of Western cinema, mostly because he doesn’t feel like a villain for much of the movie. He has no compunction about killing and leads a gang of murderous outlaws, but is forever charming and believes in a certain measure of justice, even if it doesn’t extend to his own crimes.
Why 3:10 To Yuma Is Often Overlooked As A Great Modern Western
It Was Initially Overshadowed By Another Russell Crowe Movie
3:10 to Yuma was no box office smash, as despite opening at #1 in September 2007, it didn’t even earn double its $55 million budget back, which is the traditional benchmark for a movie to reach profitability. It was in fact nominated for two Academy Awards and a Screen Actors Guild Award for Best Cast, so it was certainly a hit with critics. However, despite the acclaim and high visibility associated with an Oscar nomination, 3:10 to Yuma tends to be overlooked when considering the best of the best in the Western genre.
One significant reason is because its release was followed shortly after by American Gangster, Ridley Scott’s star-studded Academy Award-nominated biographical crime drama that also featured Russell Crowe in a leading role. Vanishing from the public eye so rapidly hurt its overall visibility with fans of both the Western genre and general moviegoers. However, with the advent of streaming, 3:10 to Yuma has seen its popularity revitalized, as contemporary audiences have recognized the quality of both the story and the performances driving it.