Once upon a time, the Western served the function that currently resides within the purview of Science Fiction: use an allegorical approach to explore themes and ideas that might not fit well within the scope of a traditional motion picture. It has been more than 35 years since the Western was a popular genre but, when one is well-made, it can still arrest the attention and transport the viewer to another place and time. Of course, few modern Westerns take the simplistic view of cowboys/good-Indians/bad; we have come beyond that. 3:10 to Yuma is one of those complex films that twists morality and toys with the notion of the outlaw as a folk hero. It's modern in its perspectives and approach - even though it's based on a staid 50-year-old original (which, in turn, was adapted from an Elmore Leonard short story).

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