Johnny Depp makes this lovable chameleon come alive and delivers a great vocal performance in Rango, but the storyline is a little disjointed and random.
Get ready to venture into the deep wild west, with some heavy accents and ugly desert creatures.
This film is a complete tossup. It's the kind of film you will either love or hate, but it's difficult to pinpoint exactly what will make you react that way.
If you are a fan of country/western films, you will probably love and appreciate the western imagery and ideals. If you don't like westerns in general, you will probably find this animated flick is too much of a bad thing.
The Plot:
Rango is a chameleon who lives in a glass terrarium and constantly seeks adventure through reenacting plays with the inanimate objects. He gets thrown from the vehicle he is traveling in and ends up in a old Western town called Dirt in the middle of the desert. The town is populated with various ugly desert creatures who are suffering through a drought. Rango convinces the town he is a hero and establishes himself as the new Sheriff, not knowing the people who have had that title in the past haven't survived very long.
The Good:
Johnny Depp does a great job with the vocals and he is right on with the intonation and emphasis matching the facial expressions and reactions of the animated character he's voicing.
The film is shot in 2D and it works just wonderfully. Director Gore Verbinski makes a great film that works well without the gimmicks and extras Hollywood filmmakers are so into these days. The colors are vibrant and the action leaps off the screen even without the added extravagances.
The Bad:
There doesn't really seem to be a clear direction to the film. It's fun and entertaining, but who is its target audience? It seems like a more complex and intelligent cartoon for adults, with many jokes and intonations that will go directly over youngsters heads. Westerns are not particularly associated with children and it doesn't seem to be a movie they would find charming or entertaining. The film lacks any real, defined purpose.
It seemed more like an animated version of Cowboys and Aliens, rather than an original, groundbreaking idea. The film didn't have any kind of structure or good storyline. It was fragmented and ultimately confusing. If you are not interested in the Wild West or cowboy movies, you will more than likely not enjoy this film.
If, on the other hand, you are huge John Wayne film and love everything to do with the wild west and simple, country towns, you will find this movie charming and comfortable.