MOVIE REVIEW - Rango

It's not often I open up a movie review with this. For what the new Johnny Depp voiced animated movie Rango is, I don't know if it could have been better.

Rango is a very strange little movie about a bunch of lizards that live in the old west it seems, in a fictional ghost town called Dirt. Dirt is in the middle of the desert and has no water at all. Rango (Depp) a little lizard of some kind, somehow ends up as the town Marshall that has none. And he goes on a quest with the love and help of the downtrodden other lizards and rodents and varmints to try to bring hope to this dried up town. I told you this is very strange. Almost too strange to describe here. It borrows an old western story line, water and grazing rights. And makes a pretty strong statement that is applicable to today's world.

Rango has every element needed to be great. A fun story, and a wonderfully developed cast of characters ripped right out of an old Clint Eastwood western. Rango is filmed much in the classic western format, and also a strong influence from the Eastwood camp too. A great hero, fantastic supporting characters, scary and diabolical villains. Rango also sports a terrific western movie soundtrack, and a hilarious narrative mariachi band that jumps in from time to time and helps sing the story along.

Rango is great fun in every regard. I am not a huge animated movie guy. I think there are way too many of them, and most follow the same tired formula invented by Disney years ago. There are exceptions. I have to admit, I have never seen a true western animated movie before. And I expect this may be the last. And I'm good with that. This is so good, it shouldn't be copied. Wonderful voice performances too from Depp, Isla Fisher, Ray Winstone, Ned Beatty, and Abigail Breslin.

Rango. Could be a bit intense at times for very young, there is some language, smoking and some tons of adult humor. This is not a kids movie. Rango is squarely for adults. But very original and very well done.