Infamous outlaw Ben Wade (Crowe) and his vicious gang of thieves and murderers have plagued the Southern Railroad. When Wade is captured, Civil War veteran Dan Evans (Bale) volunteers to deliver him alive to the “3:10 to Yuma,” a train that will take the killer to trial. But with Wade’s outfit on their trail — and dangers at every turn — the mission soon becomes a violent, impossible journey toward each man’s destiny.

For thoughts on 3:10 to Yuma, please check out my unboxing for The Video Attic:

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-AIsiRjbDV0]

Video Quality

The 4K UHD Blu-Ray of 3:10 to Yuma from Lionsgate comes in its original 2.40:1 in 2160p with HDR10 which offers an uptick in quality over the accompanying Blu-Ray in some respects, but there are elements that make this one of the weakest discs on the format. The most notable improvements are in the healthier black levels which allows for more shadow detail along with a boost in dynamic range which reveals actual nuance within the washed out highlights from the Blu-Ray. The old Blu-Ray also suffered from issues with the chroma resolution which are alleviated here. The issues come up when you understand that the source used for this transfer is a 4K scan of a 2K DI that was printed to film. There are some baked-in issues that likely could have been avoided if a bit more effort and money was put into making a new DI that was not plagued with artificiality.

The sad fact is that DNR robs the picture of its natural grain and actually makes it so there is less fine detail featured on this disc. Yes, there is some amount of what appears to be duplicated grain included, but it is far from natural. Skin tones do not quite turn into a wax museum, but there is very little in the way of texture present. This is a very soft picture in all respects that even has some elements that make it look like a print such as small white specks and a bit of a telecine wobble. The colors are not quite as accurate as the Blu-Ray either with skin tones that feature an orange push and slightly less pop in the environment. For such a beautifully shot film, it is a shame that Lionsgate could not nail the original early 4K UHD release which is recycled for this new SteelBook. There are benefits to this 4K upgrade, but it is not the homerun some fans may have hoped for in the end.

Audio Quality

This 4K UHD Blu-Ray release boasts a DTS:X track that is an improvement over the already solid LPCM 7.1 track on the previous Blu-Ray. This disc is pretty powerful throughout, as this movie deserves with its sound design. Dialogue comes through clearly without getting muddied by the score or any sound effects. As you move throughout the vast expanses, the sounds of the environment flow out of your side and rear speakers. Each sound is precisely placed with distinct spatial awareness. The track utilizes all of the channels with panning effects and sounds of kinetic moments that really makes you feel like you are in the thick of the conflict. Every sequence features some impeccable sound design that comes through flawlessly. The environmental effects such as train noises and gunfire come through in a natural way. There is a substantial amount of activity in the low end when the scenes call for it, as it often does. The terrific score from Marco Beltrami utilized in the film comes through with a pleasing fidelity. Lionsgate knocked it out of the park with this track, so those with a good surround sound setup should have a blast with this one. There are English, English SDH and Spanish subtitles provided

Special Features

Lionsgate has provided 3:10 to Yuma with an optional sleek new SteelBook available exclusively at Best Buy that is truly lovely in person. The case comes with a removable clear slipcase with an animated depiction of Ben and Dan along with the train. The artwork underneath is an animated depiction of the faces of the two leads plus Charlie, and the rear features an animated depiction of Dan’s family. The interior sports an animated depiction of Ben and Dan squaring off against one another which is reflected on each disc. The on-disc content is as follows:

Audio Commentary: Director James Mangold provides a terrific audio commentary in which he discusses his motivation for mounting this story again, the benefits of starting the film off with a bang, what he kept from the original film and the changes he made, the motivations of the characters, the challenges of shooting a film that is primarily outdoors, the complexities of the characters and more. Mangold is always a fascinating figure to hear speak about the filmmaking process, so this is an absolute treat.

Destination Yuma: A 21-minute featurette which delves into the creation of the film including the thematic resonance in modern times, the shooting locations, the production design, constructing a western town, working with the horses, some of the challenges during the filmmaking process and more.

Outlaws, Gangs & Posses: A 13-minute piece which explores the place of outlaws in a frontier society and how they have been depicted in media over the decades.

An Epic Explored: A nearly seven-minute look at the western genre in the context of American culture, the themes that are often explored, and how the creatives involved with this feature relate to it.

3:10 To Score: An eight-minute featurette headlined by composer Marco Beltrami in which he discusses his excitement for scoring a western, how his creations relate to classic themes, embracing intentional silence, experimenting with different sounds and more.

From Sea To Shining Sea: A 20-minute exploration of the transcontinental railroad and how it impacted the United States. This one is for the history geeks!

A Conversation With Elmore Leonard: A five-minute interview with Leonard in which he discusses his early career writing western novels including the one which inspired the original film.

The Guns Of Yuma: A six-minute look at the different weapons used in the film and how they were chosen for each specific character for historical accuracy.

Deleted Scenes: An eight-minute collection of unused material is provided here including several more moments with Ben and his crew and Ben interacting with Dan’s family.

Historical Timeline Of The West: An option to explore the historical timelines of four different decades on the Blu-Ray disc.

Theatrical Trailer: The two-and-a-half minute trailer is provided on the Blu-Ray disc.

Final Thoughts

3:10 to Yuma is simply one of the greatest westerns made in the last several decades. Not only is the movie graced with powerhouse performances from Christian Bale and Russell Crowe, but it has a complex narrative that resonates on a thematic level in a way that many movies eschew for simple, crowd pleasing enjoyment. Don’t be mistaken, this is primed to be a big hit with audiences across the spectrum, but there is a level of artistry that lifts it up as something special. Lionsgate Home Entertainment has released a 4K UHD Blu-Ray featuring a mixed bag of an A/V presentation and a great array of supplemental features all in a beautiful new SteelBook. If you have yet to see this film, you should rectify that directly.

3:10 to Yuma is currently available to purchase on 4K UHD Blu-Ray SteelBook exclusively at Best Buy.

Note: Images presented in this review are not reflective of the image quality of the 4K UHD Blu-Ray.

Disclaimer: Lionsgate Home Entertainment has supplied a copy of this disc free of charge for review purposes. All opinions in this review are the honest reactions of the author.