THE LONE RANGER (Gore Verbinski, 2013)

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We love Johnny Depp in almost all the films he's in, and Armie Hammer shows us he's an actor of a serious caliber via J. EDGAR, THE SOCIAL NETWORK, and this movie. So it is hard to hate a movie which is escapist enough and yet lands sour with the critics. 

For those of us young enough not to have been familiar with the TV series, we'd have to rely on the quality of the story of Disney's big budget reboot, and Depp and Hammer's chemistry as partners. 

As the Comanche Tonto, Johnny Depp fashions his signature quirkiness and oddity to add flavor to his otherwise mute character- and the role is really tailor fitted for Depp. Meanwhile, Hammer gives his best as THE LONE RANGER, and it is amusing to see his character struggle to be self-righteous amidst unfair circumstances. 

Helena Bonham Carter, whose presence in a Johnny Depp movie is always welcome adds color as Red Harrington, a brothel madam who helps the duo ward claim justice.  She never has to exert any effort to insert herself perfectly in any situation, because like in DARK SHADOWS or in CHARLIE AND THE CHOCOLATE FACTORY, Bonham Carter steals the spotlight.

However, I somehow wished that the intention of the bad guys didn't seem so overt, and that the plot twist didn't feel like gimmickry. 

One more thing I hated about the film was the unnecessary intro and extro. Yeah, like we needed a lame narrator so badly. The young kid who played the young Steve Carell in BURT WONDERSTONE needs to go. 

Yet as action adventure movies go, THE LONE RANGER offers some dazzling spectacle to satisfy one's inner need for adrenaline. Too bad the script relies heavily on formula. 

RATING: 3/5  






Comments

  1. AnonymousJuly 22, 2013 at 2:50 PM

    It bored me to death and from what else I’m seeing out there: I’m not alone. Good review Macky.

    ReplyDelete

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