Western High Jinx

Rating: 9/10 (13 April 2011)

Picture it a western set in the desert with desert creatures playing out this tale of desperation and woe. Enter Lars (Johnny Depp) a chameleon looking for purpose a method actor of sorts, there's irony there somewhere.....Lars after a shock to his world and surviving an encounter with a hungry hawk bumps into Beans (Isla Fisher in excellent vocal form) who takes him to the town of Dirt a lawless town in the middle of nowhere with desperate townspeople struggling to survive against insurmountable odds. They are all desperate for the precious resource that is water....I mean come on there in the middle of the Arizona desert what did they expect? Through sheer luck Lars who has now taken on the name Rango, unwittingly kills the hawk plaguing him earlier in the story and suddenly hero status is thrust upon him along with the sheriffs' badge and he starts to really live up to the role. But the water which is kept in the bank is stolen and when Rango starts to investigate he finds mystery at every corner. Can Rango solve the riddle of the missing water and get the girl....or lizard girl.....and also save the inhabitants of Dirt? When I first saw the trailer to this movie I knew I had to see it and even though the trailer was vague I was intrigued with the animation more than anything else. This is special effects company ILM's first foray into the world of animated feature and when I say they have attracted and ensemble cast they definitely have gathered together some voice talent. Joining Depp and excellent Fisher are Ned Beatty, Ray Winstone, Abigail Breslin, Alfred Molina, Harry Dean Stanton and Bill Nighy to name but a few. The film is quite simply excellent and the animation is faultless, the dialogue punchy, witty and clever. The film is full of filmic references which are ingeniously placed, for instance when Rango is being knocked about the highway and momentarily hits the windscreen of a passing red Chevy Cadillac convertible whose driver and passenger bear an uncanny resemblance to Depp and Del Toro's characters from 'Fear and Loathing in Los Vegas'. There is also the spirit of the west, an eerie like character who bears a startling resemblance to Clint Eastwood, tobacco chewing drawl and all and a nod to the excellent Coen Brothers 'Raising Arizona' via the Carter Burwell theme. The story is clever and inventive and the voice acting is sublime with Depp, Fisher and Beatty shining ever so slightly above the rest of the voice talent on offer. I honestly cannot fault this movie it was hugely entertaining and my kids loved it and although it is directed towards the young ones there's plenty here to engage the more cerebral of you......and adults. 'Rango' is on general release so catch it now before it disappears to DVD you'll enjoy it....I assure you.