Really engaging movie (and yes, even for the 7 year old)!!

Rating: 8/10 (14 March 2011)

So, I've seen a lot out there about parents getting' their bloomers in a bunch about this movie not being "kid-friendly."
I have one response to that: bull.
Sure, the word "he!!" is tossed around a few times, and a few others, but why in the world is that a problem for your kid? Ask my seven year old when he can start cursing, and he'll tell you "When I'm 18." Ask him when he can start drinking, and he'll say "When I'm 21." Will he do both earlier? Probably, but seeing "Rango" is not the cause. I also saw a parent's review that said the movie was all about 'death,' and therefore also not appropriate for kids. Death is the only certainty in the world, and I don't understand how talk of death isn't appropriate for kids. Best expose them now to it (on an acceptable level) so that they're not totally spun out when it touches their young lives.
Back to the movie--it was a wonderful amalgam of so many Westerns that I've seen, but it doesn't end there. Hunter S. Thompson, for example, makes a brief appearance in the first 10 minutes of the movie! There are glorious pop culture references and jokes throughout the entire movie, which kept my 40-year old a$$ very amused and engaged.
The seven year old didn't get those references--but he truly loved the story line, and the visuals were stunning to him. He was saying lines from it the rest of the day, and we both got a chuckle out of some of the scenes. Whoever cast this movie did a wonderful job--and I didn't even recognize Isla Fisher's voice at all.
If you want some entertainment, take the whole family with you. I can see all ages enjoying this flick!