A quirky homage to the spaghetti western genre

Rango (2011)
Certified: U
Duration: 107 minutes
Directed by: Gore Verbinski
Voices of: Johnny Depp, Alfred Molina, Timothy Olphant, Isla Fisher, Abigail Breslin, Ned Beatty, Ray Winstone, Bill Nighy
KRS release

Rango is an animated feature that is more in tune with its adult audience than the usual animated pictures. If members of the audience are authentic film lovers, then they will find a lot to like in Rango.

The film has a very unique look, it has a crazy attitude and most of all, it is evident that it has been crafted with loving care. Director Gore Verbinski has made Rango an homage to the spaghetti western genre and many other seminal films of the likes of Chinatown (1974) and Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas (1998) among others. Movie buffs will enjoy spotting all the references that are thrown their way. The rest will be taken in by the film’s wild tone, colourful imagery and its attitude of anything is possible.

Rango (Johnny Depp) is a cham-eleon who has had quite an isolated but relaxed lifestyle… so far. He lives as a house pet in a glass cage where his only companions are a Barbie doll, a plastic fish and a fake tree.

While on a road trip in the desert, the driver swerves to avoid an armadillo named Roadkill (Alfred Molina) and Rango is jettisoned into the desert from the car window.

The chameleon is left alone in the middle of the desert. Encouraged by Roadkill, he subsequently heads off in search of the Spirit of the West (Timothy Olyphant). After tangling with a hawk he meets Beans (Isla Fisher), another lizard who gives him a lift to the ramshackle town of Dirt. This is an archetypal western town populated by desert creatures such as turtles, toads and rodents, among others. Dirt is suffering from an acute water shortage and the scheming of the corrupt mayor (Ned Beatty) is not helping at all. The latter has also teamed up with a band of outlaws led by Bill (Ray Winstone) and also with renegade gunslinger Rattlesnake Jake (Bill Nighy).

On entering the saloon Rango uses his acting acumen to make out that he is a gifted gunfighter and hero of the people. Soon he will be in knee deep trouble as he must ensure that he does not let down the rest of the town and not losing his skin in the process.

The film’s storytelling is however lacking and it could have been tighter. It falls short on the concise and meticulous structure of the usual Pixar films.

Weaving a unique fabric, the film is a mix of celluloid fantasy, weirdness and over-the-top visuals. Elements of Apocalypse Now (the attack of the bats) are infused with Chinatown (the film’s plot template) and are coupled with Timothy Olyphant doing a brilliant Clint Eastwood impersonation.

Mr Verbinski has been given leeway to write in whatever he chooses and, it seems to succeed. Johnny Depp seems to be having fun as Rango as he takes a lizard’s point of view to life, its nihilistic existence and at one point he even gets lost in what seems to be a Salvador Dalì-inspired dreamscape.

Bill Nighy as gunfighter Rattlesnake Jake is simply bold. Isla Fisher as the love interest brings laughter to the screen with her ineptly-timed defence mechanisms. Ned Beatty as the mayor turtle is sublimely slimy.

Rango is by far one of the most original animated features ever. It is aided in no little manner by the crisp and clearly bright animation that Industrial Light and Magic has brought to the screen in their first animated feature. The creatures are decidedly surreal. Some are easy to recognise while others seem to be alien/earth creature hybrids. These characters intensify the film’s look and make Rango all the more attractive.