Rango

RATING: A-

Gore Verbinski is mostly known for directing the first three Pirates of the Caribbean movies. Since then, he has not done much. There was that weird modern-day adaption of The Lone Ranger, but that one was average at best. And there's his most recent work, A Cure for Wellness... which I do not think anyone actually watched. But there was one other post-POTC project where he (and everyone else involved) showed greatness: a slightly overlooked animated film called Rango. 

Rango is a very unique film. It's a spaghetti western of sorts--or at least a tribute to the mostly-gone genre--but it's also an animated film that was marketed to kids, despite stretching the limits of the PG rating as much as it possibly could. It's a strange film to describe, actually. It's about a lizard (named Rango) who has a flare for acting that finds himself stuck in the Mojave Desert after his cage is knocked out of a car. And he stumbles upon a town that is basically every movie western town ever--only it's tiny to the human eye and run by critters. Where water is currency. And that currency is disappearing. And after a handful of circumstances, he gets made the town's sheriff and has to solve the mystery--all while he himself is not really even sure what kind of story he's in. 

Admittedly, the movie itself is not really sure what kind of story it is. But the unconventional formula it deploys really works--a spaghetti western involving critters that still takes place in the modern-day world and delves often into total randomness (a little dash of Monty Python-esque humor style, arguably). But really, it's a competent enough story that's carried by its affectionate parodying and the hilarity strewn throughout. This is a very funny movie with jokes of multiple types thrown at you. All the while, the film does not lose sight of the main story. 

The animation also helps. It was done by Industrial Light & Magic in their first foray into animation--and the film is just straight up incredible to look at. There is an excellent level of detail on the various animals--and really, everything else too. They really created a truly convincing western-style setting for a computer-animated movie. The voice cast is also excellent--which includes Johnny Depp in the lead role, Isla Fisher, Bill Nighy, Ned Beatty, Alfred Molina (though you may not recognize him at all), and others. 

This is still a bizarre film though. It pulls it off in a good way, but a lot of it sounds strange when you say it, especially if you're expecting this film to be more serious. This film includes a hawk that can operate a vending machine, a rattlesnake with a Gatling gun for a rattle, an "owl mariachi" band (no, seriously), and a strange unexplained apparition scene involving a parody of... Clint Eastwood's "Man With No Name" himself. Now these random things that are thrown in really work and are either hilarious or awesome; but there are a couple weird bits that don't work as well. For example: a scene involving the releasing of water to the townspeople by way of turning a valve that's turned into a spiritual ceremony, or a part where pillbugs come to life in a horde and carry Rango somewhere--which is really just ripping off that stupid crab scene from POTC: At World's End (you didn't think we'd notice, did you Verbinski?). 

Rango is serious in basic tone, but also not very serious because of the humor thrown throughout. It's one of those rare films that manages to find that medium between the two and actually be successful at it. Rango is a unique experience of an animated film. It's definitely worth a look, unless you just really hate westerns. It's such an oddball film but still succeeds on most fronts. It's a shame Industrial Light & Magic have not really done anything in animation since--and that Gore Verbinski has not done really anything good since this either.