Rango

Saddle up boys, there’s a new sheriff in town and Rango is his name. Abandoned by fate to the cruelties of the Mojave Desert, Johnny Depp voices Rango, a true chameleon, who meanders into the drought-ridden town of Dirt with its gritty desert dwelling inhabitants. Always prone to the theatrical and with a vivid imagination, our lizard with no name takes on the persona of Rango, a rough tough gunslinger who knows how to maximize a bullet. When Rango solidifies his reputation by taking out the town nemesis, a silver-beaked hawk a la Tim Strawn, the mayor makes Rango sheriff and puts him in charge of protecting the town’s remaining water supply.
 
As an aficionado of all things western I found Rango a delight. From the Ennio Morricone inspired score by Hans Zimmer, to the Cat Ballou style Greek chorus, Rango borrows from the genre without apology paying tribute to western films of the past and present. As a beautifully rendered animated film, Rango doesn’t rely on kid-centric humor or sight gags, rather its comedy is derived from intricate visual effects, character-driven behaviors and a cleaver malaprop-filled script with plenty of winks and nods.
 
You will not find these animated characters in the plush aisle at Walmart or gracing a McDonald’s Happy Meal. Some of these creatures are darn right hideous and far from huggable. But Industrial Light and Magic and director Gore Verbinski have done a wonderful job taking ordinary desert dwelling animals and morphing them into iconic western characters. Ned Beatty voices the mayor, a water hoarding turtle akin to John Houston in China Town. His hired gun is a Lee Van Cleef looking rattlesnake voiced by Bill Nighy and for heart we have a female lizard played by Isla Fisher and a possum girl voiced by Abigail Breslin. But I have to say that my favorite spoof is the Spaghetti Western version of Clint Eastwood known as the Spirit of the West complete with golf cart and little golden statues in his basket. Timothy Olyphant nailed the Eastwood cadence to the point that I originally thought that Eastwood had done his own voice. Like this reference the film is full of western jibes and tributes. Even the movie Star Wars gets a nod.
 
Rango may not be suitable for small children. Many of the plot details will go right over their heads and this film is far from being cute. But for adults the movie is a lot of fun, especially if you enjoy a good western. The animation makes imaginative use of perspective and special effects and for anyone who paid attention in school you’ll get a real chuckle out of the constant misuse of the English language.
 
Johnny Depp really displays his versatility in this film and his vocal range as well. Like a chameleon his performance delivers many shades and colors. And the music is versatile, too. I liked the score so much that I plan on purchasing the soundtrack. What a wonderful thing when all the elements of a movie come together. So, put on your hat and polish your spurs, in Rango we have a new western hero. Giddy up!

Rating: First Run Rango honors the Spirit of the West