The Lone Ranger - Has Silver Tarnished?

I don't care, usually, if a film has been slated by critics.  In some cases - too many sometimes -  the slating is deserved, but there are plenty of times I really enjoy a film that has been pretty much derided.

 

The Lone Ranger is one of these.

 

I like to turn my brain off, as I've mentioned previously, and enjoy the ride.  I don't try to work out plot lines (I didn't see the ending in either Sixth Sense or The Others coming, and didn't want to) and I don't mind if there's no deep, meaningful message - or even if there is.  I take a film on face value.

 

Even when that face looks like it might be covered in mud and bird poo, eh Mr. Depp?

 

I used to love the Lone Ranger as a child.  I'd avidly watch that and Champion the Wonder Horse on a Saturday Morning (I think!).  I wanted to be him.  I wanted a horse like Silver.  I'd sit on my dog and tell it to Hi-Ho while it squirmed and tried to escape.  The theme tune, dear ol' William Tell, was a favourite that has easily been recognised ever since.

 

I first saw the trailer for this film many months ago at the cinema.  I can't remember which film it was. Prometheus, perhaps?  Batman?  It was definitely before Man of Steel (great film).  Either way, I was excited.  I didn't realise, at first, who was playing Tonto - he just looked somehow familiar.  Then I twigged and was even more excited.

 

It seemed like an age before the film came out.  Others, trailered much more recently, had been and gone and still the Lone Ranger was nowhere in sight.

 

Then...

 

So what did I think?  Well.  Depp plays Depp like only Depp can, we all know that.  But, he's good at it.  Whether he's Captain Sparrow, Sweeney Todd or Edward Scissorhands, he does it well.  Granted, when he was in 21 Jump Street and 'being introduced' in Elm street things were different, but now he's found himself and he's so easily recognised.  These films made millions for good reasons, and one of those is Johnny Depp.

 

I have to admit that I've not seen much of anything Armie Hammer has previously starred in, apart from Reaper, a series I loved so can't particularly comment on his overall abilities, but he does a decent job here and he and Depp work well together

 

Directed by Gor Verbinski, who brought us the Pirates films, the inventive Mousehunt, The Ring and even Rango, the Lone Ranger is escapist fun.  Someone told me they didn't know if it was meant to be a comedy or a drama.  Personally, I don't think it's particularly meant to be either, specifically.  It has elements of both, just like many other films.  It's humorous rather than laugh out loud funny with a fair share of tense moments too.  I don't believe it's trying to be anything other than itself, an update of a classic, much loved series.

 

There are thrills and spills and even Silver has a comedic side.  Who knew trains could be so exciting, too?  It's a good, old fashioned romp and it doesn't take itself too seriously, so why should we?

Oh, and one of the best aspects?  We have the good ol' theme tune.  Yup, William Tell is overturing to his heart’s content.  Gotta love that!

 

My rating, as I mentioned on the R.I.P.D.review, is 9/10.  I enjoyed it, a lot.  I hope you do too.