Grossly Overrated Film

Rating: 6/10 (21 April 2012)

Rango (Johnny Depp) is an ordinary chameleon who accidentally winds up in the town of Dirt, a lawless outpost in the Wild West in desperate need of a new sheriff.
How this film won the Oscar for best animated film of 2011 is beyond me. All I can think is that there just were not very strong contenders for the prize (I know I cannot think of any). I will say the animation itself is amazing -- it is quite possibly the best animation I have ever seen. So, George Lucas, you have outdone Pixar and you should be proud.
And I will also say I enjoyed the references to "True Grit", Clint Eastwood and Lee VanCleef. Oh ,and Hunter Thompson. I think those were an excellent touch. I wish that Eastwood himself could have lent his distinctive voice.
But the film does seem to just feel very flat for me. While the plot is alright, I could not get myself to care about the characters. Who lived or died was of little consequence to me... even Rango himself was not much of a hero.
Roger Ebert says the film is "wonderfully made, great to look at, wickedly satirical" and he gives it four stars! The review is a big, slobbery kiss with repeated calls to see it and bring your family. I guess whatever Ebert was drinking must not be in my refrigerator.