Rango: An Oasis in an Animation Desert

Rango

Reviewed by Adam Minor

Gore Verbinski and Johnny Depp re-team to bring us Rango, an animated western that is as odd as it is appealing. I found myself constantly mulling over this film for hours after I saw it. I would almost say that this film is not a children's movie, but it definitely is.

Johnny Depp voices Rango, a pet chameleon that's found himself stranded in the desert. Rango is directed to a local town called Dirt that's inhabited by various desert animals. An avid thespian, Rango presents himself as an adventured outlaw and quickly rises to the rank of town sheriff. As sheriff, Rango vows to discover why there's no more water in Dirt, but what he finds may surprise him.

Perfectly cast, the characters of Rango  have unique and distinct personalities. Alongside Depp, Isla Fisher, Abigail Breslin, Ned Beatty, Bill Nighy, Timothy Olyphant and Harry Dean Stanton bring their characters to the forefront of the action.

The plot provides no new exercises in cinema, but the presentation and acting still make it feel fresh. I wouldn't be surprised if the plot was merely another film reference, as this movie is filled with them. To say that this film is full of other film references is not to say that they are as commanding and in-your-face as say, Scary Movie, but this film was definitely made by film lovers.

I said earlier that part of me thinks this isn't a kid's movie, and that's partly because of the animation. The characters are so detailed and vivid, that when it comes to some of the moles and other rats, the detail is gross and almost frightening. The film, though, keeps itself grounded in a dialogue and action sequences that don't take itself too seriously, and provides a fun and sometimes, goofy atmosphere.

One of my favourite things about this movie is the fact that it's in amazing 2-D! The company opted not to film this in 3-D which is almost blasphemy in this day and age. But, for once, the audience wasn't subjected to cheap tricks of props attacking them from the screen.

Rango, with its superb voicing and detailed animation is a rare find in today's animation.

Rating: 3/5