The Lone Ranger - Movie Review
I really enjoyed The Lone Ranger, though it isn’t going to appeal to everyone.
In 1869, lawyer John Reid is returning home to Colby, Texas to serve as the new prosecuting attorney for the county. His older brother Dan is a Ranger. Also on the train is Butch Cavendish, an outlaw captured by Dan who is being returned to Colby to hang, and Tonto, an Indian. Cavendish’s gang has other ideas, and the outlaw escapes even though Tonto tried to stop him. Dan, several Rangers, and John head out to find Cavendish, with Dan making John a deputy. Things do not go well and the men are ambushed. Tonto later finds the site of the ambush and reluctantly helps to turn John into the Lone Ranger, a masked man who will fight for justice. The two aren’t seeing eye to eye, but they set off to deal with Cavendish.
The Lone Ranger is based on the fictional character of the same name that first appeared in a radio show before going on to appear in movies, books, comic books, and a television show. I honestly don’t remember ever having seen any movies or tv shows about the character before, but I knew a little about him. I knew he wore a mask, had a horse named Silver, a sidekick named Tonto, and the William Tell Overture is his theme song. Those elements are here, though I believe certain things have been changed a bit. Tonto is more of an equal, even being the one behind certain decisions and he is trying to mold John into the Lone Ranger. He also has a dead bird on his head. That is a bit different at first, but as the movie progresses, it makes more sense. The William Tell Overture is used later in the movie. It is at a time when John seems to finally embrace being the Lone Ranger, so it makes sense for that to be the first time the music is used. It fits perfectly with what is happening in the movie at that point.
I think the story for The Lone Ranger is interesting and it works to make an entertaining movie. This is a longer movie, but the length didn’t bother me and I was never bored by what was going on. A few of the scenes do move a little slower and might bother some people. The slower pace of those scenes is needed to fully deal with whatever is going on at those points in the movie. There is humor, much of it from things that Tonto says and does. I think the humor works, other people may not feel the same. There is a bit of a mystical or magical vibe to what is going on as well, something else that I think works but others may not appreciate. That does make the movie a bit different. I think that helps to make it entertaining. The movie works as a wonderful origin story not only for how John becomes the Lone Ranger, but it also covers why Tonto is the way he is. The parts that deal with Tonto’s history work very well and they do add heart to the movie.
The Lone Ranger is really very good and entertaining. It deserves to be seen and I would like to see more adventures with the Lone Ranger and Tonto. Unfortunately, the movies isn’t pulling in the huge amounts at the box office. Whoever decided to put this movie out the same day as Despicable Me 2 made a very, very bad decision and that is a big reason why the movie isn’t making more money. It is never a good idea to go up against a movie in a popular animated franchise. People can only see so many movies, and people with kids will go to the animated one first. I do think the movie would have had a better chance at success if it had a different release date.
There is a decent amount of action in The Lone Ranger that helps to keep things movie and entertaining. Real trains were used throughout the movie and actual stunt people and real stunts were done instead of things being done with CGI like happens so often now. Depp was actually hurt when he was almost trampled by a horse during the filming. Great locations are used and it looks believable for the old west.
Violence turns up in different scenes, usually involving Cavendish. He is twisted in a way that I didn’t expect before seeing the movie. That could be a bit upsetting or disturbing to some viewers. Different characters are injured in various ways and some end up dead. The movie is rated PG-13 and the rating fits. I don’t think this is really a movie for younger children, though some people did take young children to the showing I was at.
Several characters are in The Lone Ranger, with some of them being more developed and receiving more attention than others. John is very dedicated to following the law and making sure everyone, even vicious killers, get a fair trial. He is oh so proper, even after he starts working with Tonto, though he eventually relaxes as he starts to become the hero Tonto wants. Armie Hammer handles the part well.
Tonto is an Indian who has his own reasons for going after Cavendish. Tonto is a bit odd at times, but he does know what he is doing. He talks about spirits at times and has a dead bird on his head. Tonto is more than just a sidekick who does whatever he is told. He tries to turn John into the Lone Ranger and there is a method to his madness. This version of Tonto is unique and interesting and Johnny Depp is wonderful in the part. He is a genius at creating these types of different, quirky, or even weird characters.
Dan Reid is John’s older brother who is a Texas Ranger. He isn’t in much of the movie, so James Badge Dale doesn’t get a lot to do. Rebecca is Dan’s wife. It is clear that John has feelings for her and that causes some tension in the family. Ruth Wilson is fine in the part. Bryant Prince is fine as Danny, Rebecca and Dan’s son. Latham Cole works for the railroad and seems to be interested in Rebecca. He is a powerful and wealthy man who tries to act nice but seems a bit smarmy. Tom Wilkinson is great in the part.
Cavendish is a well known outlaw who escapes when he is being transported back to Colby. He has a large gang and they are all ruthless, with Cavendish being an extra special type of twisted. The character may be a bit over the top, but he works for the movie. William Fichtner is good in the part. Berry Pepper is in a few scenes as a calvary officer who is manipulated by someone. Helena Bonham Carter is only in a few scenes as Red, a brothel owner with a special fake leg.
The Lone Ranger is a well done, fun, entertaining movie that deserves to be seen. Fans of Johnny Depp definitely should check it out.
Electronic-terrorism, voice to skull and neuro monitoring on Hive and Steem. You can ignore this, but your going to wish you didnt soon. This is happening whether you believe it or not. https://steemit.com/fyrstikken/@sqube/3dhq8e-i-am-the-only-motherfucker-on-the-internet-pointing-to-a-direct-source-for-voice-to-skull-electronic-terrorism
I remember back when this came out and I thought it was a bizarre choice of film for them to spend hundreds of millions of dollars making (it may not have been that high but it was high) because it's not like there was a demand for this.
The production value was undeniable but I think that Pirates of the Caribbean kind of broke Johnny Depp because he seemed to be playing the role of Jack Sparrow with a different accent as Tanto anyway.
I remember skipping it at the cinema and waited quite a while after the home release before watching it and even then found myself quite bored with it. I think they probably planned on making this a series but since it was such a flop they decided against it.