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RANGO (2011)
Rating: 4 out of 5 Stars
This is the best animated Western since FIEVEL GOES WEST. I’m not kidding, though admittedly there aren’t too many animated entries in the genre!
RANGO succeeds based on its world and character design. The animation and creativity of each animal in this Western world made of mice, bugs, turtles, and of course lizards is impressive to the eye. I found myself astounded at nearly every creation, especially the old mouse Spoons. The detail alone makes the movie with watching.
The story doesn’t do anything new with the genre of course; it takes cliche beats and subplots from classic Westerns (it also borrows a bit from CHINATOWN) then recycles them with creature cowboys. The fight scenes are fun and wild. Honestly, this is a far better film than the Gore Verbinksi’s PIRATES movies and I suspect also superior to his LONE RANGER but I haven’t worked up the courage to watch it yet.
Watched on DVD.
