This is the Proper Use of George Lucas' ILM

Rating: 10/10 (28 February 2012)

As much as I loathed the Star Wars I-III Fiascos, because of overbloated CGI and No Substance, I LOVE this moovie for the same reason. Not because of "No Substance" - There IS substance here. There is a Cleverly Written by John Logan story which was fleshed out by some very good Computer animators - Possibly the same ones that worked on SW: Episodes I-III except that their services were good and proper HERE. The characters were brought to life by incredible Voice Talents: Johnny Depp, Abigail Breslin, Isla Fisher, Ned Beatty - Alfred Molina - and the great Bill Nighy - And many many more.
This movie works like Warner Brothers cartoons from the 30's through the 60's worked. It works cos it is a nod to Directors like Chuck Jones and I Freleng. Early Hanna-Barbera (Not Later H-B). Walter Lantz. it is a nod to over 70 years of Cartoon Cleverness.
THIS kind of movie is what the CGI is for-It's an artistic Medium. Meaning, Gore Verbinski used it as a Palette and Paint Brush.
Because, it does not pander to little Kids. Movies (Star Wars I-III) that are designed to (Star Wars I-III) accommodate little kids (Star Wars I-III) always end up being insulting to the same kids (And to the adults who bring the kids). It's because all of the best cartoons were made to be funny for ADULTS.
And that is what we have here, a cartoon made to amuse adults, made funny for adults, and enjoyable by adults. Except for one problem: It is not a cartoon.
It is - I don't Know what it is! It's not a Movie is it? Except that it was put onto film and run in Theatres... But it was not MADE on any film medium. This was all done on the best computers using the cleverest programmers and most talented animators in their respective fields. But FILM it is Not - More like "Computer Created Entertainment."
This CGI cartoon references other top hitters like Chinatown (water theft), and the appearance of CGI Clint Eastwood as the "Spirit of the West" in a scene that mirrors a scene from Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End- This film - I don't know what else to call it because this is not really a film. It's all Digital, but it was shown in Movie Theatres. Well, this Huge Computer Environment-Based Entertainment which was SHOWN in Theatres, made fun out of all kinds of movies that were made on Film.
And that is what makes it great. It's a new direction for animation. Because it's not impossible imagery blended in with real life action and actors... It is completely imaginary... Which makes it real in a sense.
In a way, it is film, because some of the animations used Motion Capture techniques - Some direct motion capture, and other keyframe animations that were created alongside an actor's filmed movements. So, it was all character driven, Just like Gollum in Lord of the Rings - But now, instead of just one character being CGI, they all are. And believable too-
Because of the shunning of Symmetry. Even Bug's Bunny's face as perfectly symmetrical in those old cartoons, but here, Rango's face is like Johnny Depp's face - A Human face, even though Rango is a Lizard, Non- Symmetrical. And also with the other Lizards, Mice, Field rats, Foxes, Turtles, and Clit Eastwoods that were in this... Film.
I loved this from start to finish, and this is the direction I wanna see CGI going in.