Rango

19th March: Rango

When a lizard is taken out of his pet like environment he must aid a town in restoring their water supply.

I have two mixed opinions about this film. As a film it's awesome, but i don't think i enjoyed it. I'll explain. The character characterisation and animation are the best i have seen from a non-pixar film. The individual personified charcters each had their own thing that marked them as a character and their animal. The voice actors were all great aswell. Love or hate him, Johnny Depp gives a great performance whatever he does. The rest of the cast were just as good: Ray Winstone, Isla Fisher and Bill Nighy to mention just a few. The humour was all there, bearing in mind its a kids film and this all adds up to that the film is "winning".

However. Keeping in mind that the film is a kids film, the film itself is boring. The story all makes sense and everything, but it's just boring and i cant figure out why. It started slow with Rango finding out whats happening and what not, but picked up when he reaches the town and gets into his character. Then it takes a dip as not much happens. Then picks up with one scene set to the tune of a western "Ride Of The Valkaries". Then it dips again and doesn't pick up until the end with the best scene ever in my opinion.
*SPOILER*
There is a scene where Rango "stops believing in himself" and gives up and finds himself in a dream like world (similar to the Davy Jones locker scene in the third Pirates movie) and there he meets the Spirit Of The West AKA The Man With No Name. An animated version of Clint Eastwood's renegade cowboy from the Dollars triology. Voiced by Timothy Olyphant is also a genius idea. He has the right slow, gruff voice that Eastwood had with the original character. He gives Rango hope again and he then finishes the movie, i'll not ruin the ending. On a side note this scene is also my favourite when Rango quotes Clerks with a "I'm not even supposed to be here today".

There were also a lot of times, mostly during the dips in quality, that i thought that this film is just another film where Johnny Depp goes "Look at me, i'm awesome and i shit gold because i'm so awesome and i'm the center of attention" Now don't get me wrong i like Johnny Depp but i think he might have hit that bit where he's just whoring himself out, especially with the next Pirates movie only having him and Geoffrey Rush in it from the first three. Having said all this i still say he did a good job and i will be seeing Pirates 4.

I think i'm still going mark it high despite its flaws because it is good and definately worth watching.

Overall:7/10