Review of film: “RANGO”

2011, 03-08:

Review of film:  “RANGO” 

                              “HIGH NOON” in a Varmint-Filled DESERT

You’ve “SEEN” this movie before-- MANY times.  That’s because it’s an animated sort of “compilation” of a lot of PREVIOUS Western-related films, from “HIGH NOON” to Clint Eastwood “spaghetti” westerns from the 1960s, to Western-themed “SPACE” epics such as STAR WARS” & the like…

…  The movie starts out with a chameleon named Lars who eventually re-names himself “RANGO” (voiced by JOHNNY DEPP).  He meets an armadillo called “Roadkill” (voiced by ALFRED MOLINA) who speaks in “metaphors” about the difficulty of crossing a desert “ROAD” in life…

…  Following some general instructions, he goes away from the road & off into the “deep” desert, seeking out a supposed “town” named “DIRT”…  On his journey, he’s pursued by a none-too-friendly hawk who wants him for “dessert” in the desert!...

…  Eventually, Johnny meets a female sort of lizard named Beans (ISLA FISHER), & --  although she’s none too friendly & a little “spacy” --, since she’s more “welcoming” than the attacking bird, he follows her towards Dirt…

…  In town, by escaping the hawk, he accidentally causes  a structure to FALL on & kill the bird, & thus (akin to “The Wizard Of OZ”) is looked-upon as a sort of “savior”…  The Mayor of town (NED BEATTY) works to get him appointed as SHERIFF there, partly because Johnny “builds-up” his reputation & abilities (by carefully avoiding the truth in a number of matters)…

…  The town is running mighty short of WATER, & it’s a “mystery” just why it’s “disappearing”…  The “big shot” in town is a turtle named Doc (STEPHEN ROOT, who also voices Merrimack & Mr. Snuggles), & he & the banker are purposely very “indefinite” re just WHY the town’s water supply is “diminishing”…

…  As things of consequence “happen” in the area, there’s a “Latino chorus” of Mexican-garbed BIRDS who sing songs about the events & what they feel is “likely” to happen…  The town is populated by a bunch of “VARMINTS”--  lizards, birds, etc…  All talk in “Old West” parlance, & seldom seem super “bright” or trustworthy…

…  As time goes on, we meet various of the main denizens of the area:  Priscilla (ABIGAIL BRESLIN), lizard-y Balthazar (HARRY DEAN STANTON), threatening Bad Bill (RAY WINSTONE), the Eastwood-ian “Spirit if the West” (TIMOTHY OLYPHANT), and evil Rattlenake Jake (BILL NIGHY) who wants to “do away” with Johnny (now that the dangerous-to-him hawk has been “dispatched”)…

…  Will Johnny / “Rango” be able to find what’s happened to the water in the area?...  Will he be able to “RECOVER” the supply, & if so, how will he do it?...  What will happen during the big “SHOWDOWN” with Johnny on the main street?...

…   This film was done by GORE VERBINSKI, whom Johnny worked with on the “PIRATES OF THE CARIBBEAN” films…  Johnny has indicated that he in part did this role so he’d have some film his young KIDS could watch--  in part to give them something they could “GIGGLE” at…

…  You yourself will probably will some “giggles” in watching this… It’s NOT super-“funny”, but there are a number of elements of CLEVERNESS in some of the “interactions” between the various characters & the “play-offs” concerning certain classic “themes”…

…  And, if you don’t get “angry” at the “derivative-ness” of a number of the scenes, you might enjoy trying to “PLACE” just “WHERE” the “take-off” originally originated (i.e., what movie is being “satirized”, etc.)…

…  The animation (while “quirky” for a number of characters) is sort of cute in assorted cases.  It’s nothing very “special” (outside of some of the “action” scenes), but, it’s OK.  Thus, overall, I’d rate it at 7.0 out of 10 stars…

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