Rango

After Wes Anderson did it, another live-action film director whom at first glance one wouldn’t expect to take such a step entered the field of animation and showed us how tedious all of those industrial animated movies from DreamWorks, Pixar and other specialised studios really are. On the other hand, as a creator of films with a strong presence of computer-generated effects, characters and even entire sequences, Verbinski’s work actually has something in common with animation, and his original project, in which after a long time he doesn’t have Disney’s Agent Smith breathing down his neck, but is rather nudged by the creative maniacs from Nickelodeon Movies, will allow viewers to see the extent of his creative distinctiveness. What Rango has in common with the Fantastic Mr. Fox is overarching exaggeration and self-reflection of genre formulas, as well as visual stylisation that shuns the simple shapes and multifarious colours that are typical of the competition. Specifically, though we have computer animation here, the stylisation leans towards a coarse hyper-realism with an abundance of the grotesque and deranged carnivalesque details of Verbinski’s Pirates of the Caribbean movies. Most of the characters have their own distinct personalities, which are incorporated into the smallest details of their movements, while on a general level the design of the Wild West animal characters looks more like a collection of discarded exhibits from a school biology classroom than vibrant photos in the style of National Geographic (see, for example, Legend of the Guardians: The Owls of Ga’Hoole). In addition to the visuals, however, Rango has an unexpected ace up its sleeve in the form of an overarching meta-genre self-reflection that makes the film a spectacle that parents are more likely to make their kids go to see rather than being forced to do so by their kids. With its dialogue working on multiple levels and relating to the nature of heroism, the role of particular narrative tropes and the heroes’ bond with their stories, it is a caustic reflection on how animated films are, paradoxically and essentially against their intrinsic nature, constrained by their aspiration to be like live-action films, or rather how they are hindered by the fact that audiences now automatically expect them to resemble live-action films. The fact that intellectual mischief dressed up as a dusty and rough-around-the-edges western won the Oscar for best animated film is actually the fulfilment of another formula – the outsider reaches a happy ending and is accepted into mainstream society. (06/05/2014)

For the passage where this was a not holds barred spaghetti western that in each camera angle and every tone nods to its roots, Verbinski can dig Leone up from his grave and shake him be the hand as equals. The only snag is that this constantly oscillates between surrealist animated adventure for adults, packed full of references to movies that are rarely nodded at (kicking off right at the beginning with Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas, for instance), through ingenious, slapstick inspired situations in Pirates of the Caribbean style, to spaghetti western. And all of these passages separately are gems, but they don’t work together, getting in the way of each other, because each of these approaches alone are enough make (and deserve) a feature length movie of their own. So on one hand it resuscitates several dying genres (not just western or surrealist, but also intelligent, non-ridiculing parodies or pastiches and CGI animation works as such), on the other it rather wastes the potential. And you must watch it in the English language version, not so much for Depp as for Nighy and Olyphant, and the Czech subtitles are playful and inventive (although very loose) for a change OST score: 5/5 (11/03/2011)

An unusual animated film that is excellent despite or maybe precisely because of its unusualness. Maybe even this year’s best, since the Pixar movies bombed out. Verbinski professes his love for westerns and does it in style. The animation is on a high level and some (sunset) shots are feasts for the eyes. The babbling Johnny Depp plays a conflicted hero who is searching for himself with such vigor that sometimes you forget he's a chameleon. With dubbing, the quality necessarily declines. He’s simply inimitable. There are also amazing dream sequences... and The Spirit of the West! When it comes to music, Hans Zimmer quotes and quotes a lot: Ennio, Misirlou, and we even get to hear “Valkyries Riding into Battle" arranged for banjo. Mr. Timms? (30/06/2011)

Rango is more about episodic gems than about its story. But these gems are an avalanche of fresh ideas, paying homage to famous westerns, Robert Rodriguez movies and even Pulp Fiction. The characters of bearded lizard hombres spitting in the dust who are rendered more vividly and with greater attention to detail than Clu in Tron: Legacy are a true feast for the eyes of genre enthusiasts. Hans Zimmer’s post-Sherlock music laced with Mexican motifs spices up the comical episodes and boosts the action ones that are shot and edited better than anything you’ve seen in the best action flicks. And there are significantly more jokes aimed at adults than at kids. (08/03/2011)

It is my bitter fate to stay grounded and describe soberly what is wrong with the film, while others indulge in a flood of stars and use only superlatives in their reviews. However, I will start with some praise – visually, it is well-crafted, with excellent animation, and fans of the western genre will especially appreciate the game played with the viewer, as the script pays homage to all the important films and genre clichés of classic westerns and their modern variations. Some scenes are really great, like the battle over the water tank, which speeds up the pace by several notches, and the characters face an aerial attack by a squadron of bats armed with machine guns – a treat for action genre enthusiasts. However, I had a big problem with the uneven pace of this film, at certain moments it became quite tedious, which is related to the second problem: due to the numerous references to classic films and emotionally charged scenes, it lacks a cohesive storyline to a considerable extent. It is simply the kind of film where I appreciate many individual aspects, but overall it feels unfinished considering the expectations. Giving it less than 3 stars would be unfair considering its excellent ingredients, but my overall feeling is ambivalence, and I give it an overall impression of 60%. It is truly an animated film that older viewers will appreciate. My two children were bored at times. The more familiar you are with the references, the higher the chances that the film will resonate with you. Otherwise, I can understand the five-star ratings, although I do not share the same enthusiasm, as I feel that it all falls apart. (13/03/2011)