Like Pixar on drugs, this is an animated tale about Rango (voiced by Johnny Depp), a sheltered pet chameleon with an identity crisis. Winner of Best Animated Film at the 2012 Academy Awards.
Rango finds himself outside his terrarium and, after taking the advice of an amardillo, arrives in Dirt - a town stuck in Old West times, a lawless outpost populated by the desert's most wily creatures. He woos the townsfolk with tall tales of his "heroic" past, and is quickly promoted to the position of Sheriff. Tasked with controlling Dirt's rampant bandits, the less-than-courageous Rango now has to live up to his own lie.
Rango is notable for being the first animated feature from George Lucas' special effects company, Industrial Light & Magic.
Whilst expectations of animal antics might pitch Rango towards kids, the story of a chameleon (Johnny Depp) with existential issues is perhaps more appropriate for an older crowd. With the feel of something that a bunch of enthusiasts have put together for their own amusement, the result is a lightweight but entertaining mescaline-fuelled trip through the Nevada desert.
Visually, Rango is a treat. Cinematographer Roger Deakins (True Grit) is on board as a visual consultant (he did the same job on WALL-E and How to Train Your Dragon) and his mark is invaluable in creating sun-baked, heat-warped desert photography. Populating the parched surrounds are dozens of creatures, from rats to snakes to tortoises, each meticulously detailed and individually voiced.
Even if the story about a dust bowl town’s diminished water supply isn’t quite thrilling enough, the film makes up for it with wacked-out dream sequences and a general oddball tone. Director Gore Verbinski is back on form, cutting loose to indulge his irreverent sense of humour (well utilised in his first Pirates of the Caribbean even if lost in later instalments).
It might not become a hugely memorable animated effort, but Rango is weird enough to be valued in a marketplace that often plays it too safe. Leave the very young kids at home, there’s plenty here for adults too (yes, that’s Hunter S. Thompson and, as you’ll see, this is bat country). Try it out; it might surprise you.
By Andrew Hedley, Flicks.co.nz
I love all types of lizards & reptiles so this was an enjoyable movie for me all the more so because of johnny depp as rango. he did the character justice in his own weird way & the other characters in the movie were very interesting as well. overall a bit of fun for the afternoon
I recently purchased this movie for my partner who like me loves animated films. I didnt have high hopes as with all movies the hype of a film can let you down when you actually see it.I was and still am pleasantly suprised Rango has to be one of my all time favourite animated films Johnny Depp does a brilliant job at playing Rango and theres so many jokes relating to Jonny Depps roles in other films like Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas.Belive all the hype this is one to watch over and over again.Its totally diferent to all the other animated stories out there and the animation is just so beautiful but the story line is also very well done 5/5 hoping there"s a sequel
This film seems to be trying to be a kids slapstick comedy with bits for the adults. It doesn't succeed at doing either. Some of the adult stuff is a bit too adult for kids (a run over animal in one scene may upset some kids). Johnny Depp may have gotten this role, but it is really a part for Jim Carey and the style reflects that. I found this film to be a mess. It's just all over the place. Worst of all, it isn't funny.
great fun
But with animals and Hunter S. Thompson! The visual cues and puns make this movie more than a one time viewing for me. Some of them are laugh-out-loud, some are subtle and rattle around in the back of one's head asking to be recognised: was that a moment from High Noon? Or the Wild Bunch? Or Once Upon a Time in the West? Or... But mainly it's Chinatown. The bad guy who is monkeying around with the water supply even looks like John Huston - certainly the mannerisms of his Noah Cross character are there. And is there a barest hint of Faye Dunaway in Rango's love interest? Then there is the incredible detail and mouthwatering visuals. There were moments when I found it hard to believe I was watching an entirely digital creation. The lighting was first rate. And the cast of characters - flawless! This film deserves more than one award from the Academy.
A seriously funny and smart film, with a way of moving between its layers that should keep the kids and late night crowd as happy as each other.
A certain percentage of the audience will instantly sieze on this as their favorite movie of all time, and a small, but not insignificant demographic will have nightmares. Verbinski and Depp probably like it that way.
Most exceptional is the visual style, which makes even the best animated 3D look like a poor cousin.
Rango, which may take place entirely within its hero's head - that kind of ambiguity worked in "Inception" and "Black Swan," so why not here? - is about the appetite for myths and stories, whether or not they make sense. It is about the worlds we dream inside our fishbowls, helped by the weird reflections on the walls.
It ain't perfect but this is one crazy cartoon, unpredictable and with an enjoyable showdown
We've been told the NZ release date for this flick is Thursday, 10th Mar 2011.
Release date: March 10th 2011.
We haven't received times for this movie in this location yet. However these are updated as cinemas announce them, so check back soon. Hopefully the lovely cinemas in your location will choose to play it shortly. ~Ed.
