It’s really sad that this 2007 version of “3:10 To Yuma” might be the best Western of its decade because although it isn’t a very entertaining film, it just goes to show that we don’t get to see nearly enough Westerns anymore. Gone are the days of “The Searchers” and “A Fistful Of Dollars” when you had lots of choices.

In “3:10 To Yuma”, a simple rancher named Dan Evans (Christian Bale “The Dark Knight”, “The Machinist”) decides to join a group that’s transporting outlaw Ben Wade (Russell Crowe “Gladiator”, “Noah”) to a prison train. It has the same style as “Unforgiven” as you really feel as if this could have happened.

The performances here are great. I don’t know whether I preferred Christian Bale or Russell Crowe. It’s like Robert De Niro and Al Pacino in “Heat”, you could redo the film with them in the opposite roles. Bale makes his character believably flawed as a family man and you really feel for him whereas Crowe makes a despicable yet intriguing villain that you can’t help but like in the same way that Hannibal Lecter and the Joker work. The other characters are good but to be honest, the focus really is on these main two characters but I will say that the best side character is Dan’s son played wonderfully by Logan Lerman.

“3:10 To Yuma” is a more than competent Western and with its success, why aren’t more Westerns made? I challenge anybody to name five big Hollywood Westerns from the 2000s off the top of their head and I bet you that they can’t. It’s depressing to think of the overload of romantic comedies and teen slashers that we’ve endured when there’s been a distinct lack of Westerns. “3:10 To Yuma” is a very good film on its own terms but it’s just such a shame to think your choice of modern Westerns is severely limited.