Alex's 3:10 to Yuma Ending explaination

[spookyttws]

Since they refused to put it in the episode (26) I was wondering what you guys think (or if any TRS guys read this) justified the ending of 3:10 to Yuma. I enjoyed the movie, and thought that it could not have ended any other way, but was still quite disappointed. Dan seemed to come around after hearing what Alex had to say, so it must make sense. Any ideas?

[plan9]

Honestly I loved the movie and the ending, so i assume I see whatever it is Alex sees. But I dont know how to explain it since I have no idea what the terrible event at the end is. Someone who felt like Jeff did please explain where it fell apart.

[stubadub]

Honestly I loved the movie and the ending, so i assume I see whatever it is Alex sees. But I dont know how to explain it since I have no idea what the terrible event at the end is. Someone who felt like Jeff did please explain where it fell apart.

SPOILERS



I liked the movie but it takes a gigantic leap to believe that Russel Crowe's character would run through gunfire without telling his men to stop shooting, kill off every member of his gang that just saved him, and turn himself in to make Christian Bale's character save face with his family. Sure, he's broken free from Yuma before, and it is obvious that each character had a respect for the other. Crowe even offered to buy his own release from Bale to avoid having to kill him, but it is still asking a lot to suspend disbelief so far to accept him turning away from everything he's been for his entire life so that Bale's family will respect him.

[cwilkey]

see, I had no idea what Jeff was talking about either. I mean, the end gets a little nuts, but you see that Russel Crowe's character respects Christian Bale's character. He's looking to right the wrong done to him by his mother and father by helping Bale go out as a hero and someone to look up to for Bale's son. it doesn't mean there is some fundamental character shift, you get the idea fairly early that Crowe's character is fairly complex and capable of some sensitivity, not just a lawless badass with no soul.

[joeleeriepa]

SPOILERS



I liked the movie but it takes a gigantic leap to believe that Russel Crowe's character would run through gunfire without telling his men to stop shooting, kill off every member of his gang that just saved him, and turn himself in to make Christian Bale's character save face with his family. Sure, he's broken free from Yuma before, and it is obvious that each character had a respect for the other. Crowe even offered to buy his own release from Bale to avoid having to kill him, but it is still asking a lot to suspend disbelief so far to accept him turning away from everything he's been for his entire life so that Bale's family will respect him.

MORE SPOILERS



See, I don't think this this takes any suspension of belief at all. The movie shows us that Russell Crowe's character is far from one-dimensional. Hell, he's sketching a bird when we first see him, and seems genuinely annoyed when his right-hand man interrupts him. Crowe's decision at the end to help Bale doesn't signify a complete change in the character, it just shows that he is willing to do something for a man that he has grown to respect, and in some way may even deeply envy. Before the ending race to the train he states that he is a very dark man, and he is- He kills his whole bloody crew just to do something out of respect, yet he also risks his own life to keep up appearances, and make Bale's character the legend his children believed he always was. The movie also suggests that Crowe will just break out of Yuma, and start all over again. He knew this when deciding to help Bale, and is totally fitting of his character. He sacrificed a little to do something for someone, but didn't damn himself in the end. That's the old west- Governed by honor and respect, yet lawless and wild.

[stubadub]

MORE SPOILERS



See, I don't think this this takes any suspension of belief at all. The movie shows us that Russell Crowe's character is far from one-dimensional. Hell, he's sketching a bird when we first see him, and seems genuinely annoyed when his right-hand man interrupts him. Crowe's decision at the end to help Bale doesn't signify a complete change in the character, it just shows that he is willing to do something for a man that he has grown to respect, and in some way may even deeply envy. Before the ending race to the train he states that he is a very dark man, and he is- He kills his whole bloody crew just to do something out of respect, yet he also risks his own life to keep up appearances, and make Bale's character the legend his children believed he always was. The movie also suggests that Crowe will just break out of Yuma, and start all over again. He knew this when deciding to help Bale, and is totally fitting of his character. He sacrificed a little to do something for someone, but didn't damn himself in the end. That's the old west- Governed by honor and respect, yet lawless and wild.

I completely understand what you are saying, and I agree that the film tries to establish these character traits from very early in the film. I also got that he won't be staying in Yuma long, or even making it all the way to Yuma before breaking free. For me these justifications weren't strong enough that I wasn't thinking "Oh, come on!" once they started making a break for the train. Before that point I thought the movie was superb western with great characters and drama, and then after that point I felt more like I was watching an enjoyable, completely unbelievable popcorn flick. I still enjoyed the movie in spite of this ending, but as I was watching it I knew that a lot of people would have a bigger problem with it than I did.

[heaven]

I completely understand what you are saying, and I agree that the film tries to establish these character traits from very early in the film. I also got that he won't be staying in Yuma long, or even making it all the way to Yuma before breaking free. For me these justifications weren't strong enough that I wasn't thinking "Oh, come on!" once they started making a break for the train. Before that point I thought the movie was superb western with great characters and drama, and then after that point I felt more like I was watching an enjoyable, completely unbelievable popcorn flick. I still enjoyed the movie in spite of this ending, but as I was watching it I knew that a lot of people would have a bigger problem with it than I did.

What I got from it was that Russell Crowe knew he was going to not even make it to Yuma, and since Crowe envied Christian Bale, Crowe wanted to show everyone in the town including Bales son that Bale was a true warrior. Then at the end when Crowe thinks everyone is safe and something happens he didn't know would happen because he didn't have time to tell his men off. Hence when he yelled "Noooo". This infuriated Crowe to do the unexpected and kill his men. Also at the End he whistled for his horse to follow the train, most likely to break out of the cage and hop on horse.

[joeleeriepa]

I completely understand what you are saying, and I agree that the film tries to establish these character traits from very early in the film. I also got that he won't be staying in Yuma long, or even making it all the way to Yuma before breaking free. For me these justifications weren't strong enough that I wasn't thinking "Oh, come on!" once they started making a break for the train. Before that point I thought the movie was superb western with great characters and drama, and then after that point I felt more like I was watching an enjoyable, completely unbelievable popcorn flick. I still enjoyed the movie in spite of this ending, but as I was watching it I knew that a lot of people would have a bigger problem with it than I did.

I see your point as well. It's really interesting how this movie is becoming a test on how much your bulls*** meter can take. Some people are on board for the whole thing, and some people's BS alarm goes off about 10 minutes before the end. I've seen a pretty even split since the film came out.

[darthender]

I wish Jeff or Alex would post here and confirm or deny if we're even talking about the same thing as them. :p

[niceguyjsk]

I had to suspend my disbelief that Crowe's character would do what he did for Bale while he mercilessly killed his entire crew who went through all that trouble to free him. But overall, I thought the movie was great.

On a side note, did anyone else find the scene with Luke Wilson electrocuting Crowe funny? I just couldn't see him in that role and I couldn't stop laughing through it. :D

[valoharth]

Spoiler


Yea I liked this movie to the part in question. I really hated how Crowe's character changed and ran with Bale. Another spot that I didn't like was when the boy sneaked up on Fosters character and opened up the gates with out being noticed by Foster, and the sharp shooter who was looking in that direction. However I did kinda seen how the ending was gonna happen along with what was going to happen just by who was play what. For the love of god can Allen Tuyduc and Ben Foster (when playing a bad ass bad guy) survive a major motion picture just once? And I gotta say I was laughing when I saw Owen.