Rango (2011)

Johnny Depp lends his voice to the portrayal of the title character, an adventurous family pet who leaves home to learn more about himself, in this family-friendly animated adventure directed by Gore Verbinski.

Westerns seem to be a dying breed in films of today. It is rare then to sit down and actually watch a great one. So when I was introduced to Rango, I was cautiously curious about the film. On one hand, it looked unique and fun, but recent films about the Wild West have only seemed to disappoint me. Those doubts seemed to linger with me until I finally gave in and went to the theater to finally see it three weeks after its release. I walked into the theater with doubts, and came out knowing I had just seen what will be the best animated film of 2011.

The film is the ultimate tribute to the dying Western genre. Everything from the characters, the town, the situations both come to face, and even the themes all work its way back to the genre; they just felt so spot on, even shouting out heavily to the Man With No Name. The plot followed Rango as a pet lizard being thrown out into the “real” world. He stumbles upon a dying town in the Ole West and unknowingly gives it a second life when he becomes sheriff and the town’s hero. With the town having so many problems, it keeps the pace of the film moving well, placing Rango in a handful of situations that turn out to be hilarious, yet charming. You never have a dull moment with Rango the Lizard.

While the plot is rather enjoyable, it would not have been anything if it weren’t for its characters. With this being an animation, the general silliness of the Wild West works out perfectly offering a town full of unique and bizarre creatures. As I have said Rango is the heart of the film, but a few others stood out. Rattlesnake Jake as the other gunslinger makes for a brilliant tribute to the villains of the wicked west. Children will think he is scary, the adults will see everything he represents and appreciate it far more than the little ones. The mayor and the entire mole family leave their marks as well, standing out when called upon. The entire cast of characters just molded into one of the best spot on characters for an animated film. It ranks up there with the Toy Story cast.

Rango will be to Western fans, what The Dark Knight was for Batman fanatics. It is such a treat to sit down and watch something that is just plain great, turning a bunch of shout outs into something of its own creation. Kids will love it for the animations, but the elders will love it for everything else. This is one of the rare animated films that adults will love more than the children. As of right now, April 1st, it is the finest film of 2011, and I would be shocked if it doesn’t end up in my top 5 at the end of the year.

Overall Score: 9.5/10