Rango

Directed By: Gore Verbinski
Written By: John Logan
Starring: Johnny Depp, Isla Fisher, Ned Beatty, Abigail Breslin, Bill Nighy and Alfred Molina
Rated: PG

MY RATING: B+

Wretched desert wildlife mixed in with twisted animated humor.

Basically the premise of this movie is that Rango (Johnny Depp) is a pet lizard who dreams of being an actor and having a more exciting life.  While on a road trip, safely in his fish tank in the back of his family's station wagon, the car swerves to avoid hitting an armadillo and Rango and his tank go flying out of the back window of the wagon.  Rango's wish is granted.  He is now stranded in the hot dessert with a new life ahead of him.  He meets another lizard, a hard workin, gun slingin, take no mess woman named Beans (voiced by Isla Fisher) and she points him to her town called Dirt.  Rango gets to Dirt where they're having a water recession and decides he'll reinvent himself as a tough guy.  They elect him the sheriff of their town and Rango (Depp) makes it his mission to help them.  Meanwhile, Beans (Fisher) notices there's some funny business going on with the missing water so she and Rango team up with some other rough & tough citizens to crack the case.

Very creative storyline!  I love how water was like money to the animals.  This was a REAL western but cartoon style.
I kept waiting for the characters to make it to the big city or something nice and sweet but no.  The whole movie took place in the desert.  There were guns, drinkin (cactus juice), a recession, real old-fashioned hard knock livin' ... with animals.  Let me tell you, these were some ROUGH lookin animals.  No cute and cuddly cartoon creatures in this movie!  I spent half the movie trying to decipher the different species.  I'm still baffled on quite a few.  One in particular had an arrow going through the back of his head, exiting out the front through his eyeball and apparently wasn't phased by this.
But let me backtrack and get to the star of this movie ... JOHNNY DEPP the master!
Man he is brilliant just like they say!  There is nothing this man can't do as an actor!  He was so hilarious as the voice of Rango!  For adults there were some very funny scenes and lines delivered by Johnny Depp.  I was crackin up but I'm not sure how much my little one could appreciate it.  Depp added so much to his character Rango.  The movie would not have been the same with any other actor doing the voice. 
Then there's the animation which was outstanding!  Everything looked so realistic!  This new digital age is amazing to me!  I spent the beginning part of the movie marveling at how life-like everything looked.  I mean the water looked like real water! 

This movie starts off very sweet, cute and funny but then gets darker and a little violent.  Children are loving this movie but I think it'd be too much for anyone under 7 years old.  They say "go to hell" about 3 times in the movie and towards the end a villain is introduced that is seriously mean.  He's a rattlesnake named Jake (Bill Nighy) and the end of his tail was turned into the barrel of a gun.  He was not to be messed with.  There is a point in the film where he tells another character (I don't want to give too much away) to look into his eyes so he can watch them die.  I thought that was mighty harsh for a cartoon character.  I think he'd be way too scary for some younger children.

Overall I thought it was a pretty clever new animated movie!  The story lagged a little in the middle where I felt an action battle sequence went on a little too long and towards the end when Rango (Depp) has a moment of self discovery but other than that great job on the script.  This movie is very funny and entertaining with adult humor mixed with childlike physical comedy.  Remember I said its a western though.  Don't expect any pretty scenery in this movie.  It's dirt roads and desolation like in the old days, a true tribute to old westerns.

(Note to Parents: This is not for children under age 7.)
 
I'd say see this one.