This was one my most anticipated films of the year, because I'm a big fan of Westerns, and the cast of this film is superb. To top it all off, a quality director (Mangold, Walk the Line) was at the helm. I was not disappointed at all; it even surpassed my expectations!

As many of you know, this is a remake of a film of the same name from 1957. I have not seen it, so I can't really compare the two. Here's a brief summary of the plot for those who don't know:

A small-time rancher agrees to hold a captured outlaw who's awaiting a train to go to court in Yuma. A battle of wills ensues as the outlaw tries to psych out the rancher.

Russell Crowe plays Ben Wade, the outlaw, and he is terrific as usual. Just another piece of evidence that Crowe is one of the best actors in Hollywood. Christian Bale, one of my faves, was awesome as Dan Evans, the rancher. This guy can just adapt to any role and sell it well. While Crowe and Bale were incredible as usual, it was actually Ben Foster, who plays Charlie, Wade's right hand man, that steals the show. He's just a merciless character.

The intense, R-rated action is well filmed. The dialogue is smart with occasional bits of humor thrown in, especially from Crowe's character, and delivered flawlessly. The plot is well structured and believable. Great score, and particularly good cinematography...great shots of the landscape.