Rango (2011)

Last weekend the family saw Rango, and I have to say I liked the film a lot. The animation is much better then in other animated films out there now. The film is simple. A lizard whose name we don't know has an accident and is stranded in the desert alone. Our protagonist seems to be a thespian of sorts though he has little interaction with individuals. After all he is a lizard in a glass cage, so his people skills, if I can call them that, are limited. But wait if you examine the film "Rango" there are deeper meanings. Don't some of us live in a glass bubbles? Are we not all living our own reality? And when the bubble breaks such as in Rango's case we must confront the harsh reality of the outside world?


What am I talking about? Isn't this a cartoon geared for children? On some level it is, and that's its main purpose. To entertain and sell Rango merchandise. Oh! sorry was that a bit of cynicism on my part? Well in essence Rango is an animated film that is entertaining for the children in the audience, and on another level its hilarious for the adults, but you need to pay attention, and listen to the dialogue. It is because of the duality of the plot that the film is so successful to both adults and children. My boys loved it, and they were having a grand old time. I heard them laugh and giggle at the antics of Rango, and his gang. I have to confess I love films like this. I laughed at the antics like a child myself, and then really laughed at what I heard because I got the in-jokes.

I mean dialogue like: "thespians?... I thought they were illegal in 8 states!" you have to give a nod to the filmmakers for putting it in there. It's as though we all get the joke, and we understand it, but for the children in the audience it goes right over them. Only later will they get it when they see it perhaps with their own kids some day.

The animated sequences are stunning, and much more beautiful then others I've seen of late. The story is funny, and it works in some respect. My littlest one did get bored I think mid-way through the film, but then again he was very much engaged towards the end. My oldest said it was funny, and I heard him laughing throughout the film, so I'll take his word he liked it.

The film does not alienate, and it isn't mindless. There is thought put into the story. There are moral lessons in it, and there are characters we all can relate to. This is what makes "Rango" such a good film. There was a lot of thought put into the film, and you can see that.   The filmmakers really thought things through and it shows.

Another thing which I liked was that it wasn't in 3-D. The story didn't need it, and it was fine without it. With all the studios tripping over each other to create new 3-D versions of films I found "Rango" refreshing. No gimmick, but good story, good characters, and great filmmaking.

I suggest you see the movie with some young ones and get an extra charge at hearing them laugh and giggle along with yourself because for an hour and forty-seven minutes you'll be a kid again too. That's the magic of the movie "Rango", and that's why I recommend it highly.