Fu Manchu Films

Hollywood goes through phases. The ’60s saw Eastwood’s Westerns, the ’80s and ’90s were subjected to an endless string of sci-fi knock-offs (save The Fifth Element), the early ’00s saw the burst of myth movies (i.e. Gladiator and Troy), and the last 50 years has seen nearly every possible premise surrounding World War II. These spurts are most often prompted by one successful movie, resulting in every competing studio trying to capitalize. 2007 was no exception. We saw a rehashing of sci-fi, going from Danny Boyle’s smash Sunshine to the all you can Will Smith buffet I Am Legend. But the most exciting genre rejuvenation of the season was the rebirth of the western. With the Coen Brother’s neo-western No Country for Old Men, Brad Pitt’s latest The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford and the sleeper hit 3:10 to Yuma.

Seeing Luke Wilson with yellow teeth, spurs, and with a Southern accent was one of the stranger moments in 3:10, but proved that nobody can resist a good stint on the plains. The all-star cast, ranging from Peter Fonda to the great Russell Crowe, was a cherry atop the perfect entrance point back into the wild wild west. But it wasn’t Christian Bale straying from his badass motif that surprised me, it was the newbies, Ben Foster (Crowe’s sidekick) and Logan Lerman (Bale’s son). These two were able to capture the spotlight in spite of the greats that surrounded them.

What was most striking about Lerman’s character was his unflinching coldness towards his down and out father. He separated himself from the common angst-ridden kid, taking his role to a new level of teen defiance. He does not follow his father to protect his family from loosing their patriarch, instead he tags along with the simple belief that he is more competent than his father. These feelings are communicated delicately to the audience, through subtle hand motions, the coolness of his retorts, and most of all, in his expressions. His face remains constant, both revealing his emotion and protecting it simultaneously. It’s his final act of humanity, telling his father that he’s succeeded, that seals the transformation from revolt to regard for his dying father. And then, with a flip of a switch his coolness returns towards Crowe. It’s Lerman’s ability to communicate so effectively with so few actions that cements his character, and sets him apart from your garden variety emo 15-year-old.

Foster’s character can be seen in many ways. A son, trying to prove himself, a child in the midst of an idol, or even a love interest who cannot seem to let go. The way that he dresses, in colorful, clean, and matching leather, sets him apart from the rest of the outlaws, who appear to have just rolled off the garbage buggy. His love and admiration for Crowe is unflinching, prompting him to kill anyone who comes between them. In preparation for this role Foster studied Shakespearian actors, classic villains, and as a result given new life to the sidekick motif. His walk is calculated, his speech is premeditated, and his stares are all-together intentional. His character is a movie in and of itself.

The work of these two newcomers, in conjunction with the expected performances of the oldies, bring energy to the old west. James Mangold’s simple and dynamic direction creates an entertaining expose that infuses excellent acting with gun-slingin’ action. Such a revolution in westerns hasn’t come since the days of Sergio Leone.