Chameleon: Action Masking Symbolism

Rating: 8/10 (16 March 2011)

"Rango" is a throwback to the 1950s western genre with a twist. The John Wayne of the film is a chameleon. This unlikely hero creates a modern, adult, animated, western flick of fun and depth with the help of director Gore Verbinski ("Pirates of the Caribbean 1-3") and Johnny Depp (most recently "The Tourist"). Depp and Verbinski have teamed up before in the first three "Pirates of the Caribbean" films and are back with their best flick since "The Curse of the Black Pearl". Depp voices Rango, a lost chameleon who is lost in the middle of the wild west after being thrown out of his secluded life as a pet lizard from the back of a moving car. Rango finds himself in the town of Dirt that is looking for a hero. The town is synonymous with any beaten down town in classic western cinema. The town is desperate for a source of water and protect from Rattlesnake Jake (Bill Nighy, "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part I"). The Mayor (Ned Beatty, "Toy Story 3") is doing everything he can, but even he cannot stop the over powerful force of urbanization as the classic cow town fades away. Rango joins locals Beans (Isla Fisher, "Confessions of a Shopoholc") and Prisicilla (Abigail Breslin, "Little Miss Sunshine") and others to find the secrets behind the water shortage in the town while unmasking the spiritual truth behind the film rebirthing the magic of the Wild West.
"Rango" is not just another animated film concerning a childish plot and overused 3D animation. While 3D has literally taken animated films to another dimension Verbinski decides to bypass it and stick with a more rugged 2D look. "Rango" targets adults and features many metaphorical and symbolic moments alongside brilliant action sequences. The film contains one of the best animated action sequences ever created along with one of the greatest almost cameos. Rattle Snake Jake is also one of the greatest animated villains ever created. Depp's character Rango is also very well characterized fitting into the cowboy hero stereotype with a little modern flare. His monologue at the beginning of the kicks off his character's development along with exemplifying the dark undertones of the well written script accompanied by some singing birds. "Rango" inserts modern concerns and ideologies into the west reaching a wide range of viewers.
This is a film that the audience has to seek out and give a chance and in order to get anything out of it. It is a hard film to read and is meant to be invested in, instead of grasping the viewer. Therefore, this is not necessarily the best film for kids to watch and should be looked at as a more mature film because of its symbolic subject matter. Also, there is some empty space on the open range in slow sequences leading the slightly film off track. Also, the cameo is fake and even though it is meant as a joke, come on! "Rango" is "Shane" meets "Fantastic Mr. Fox" released in an era dominated by animated films reliant on the beauty of color and special effects. Not to say that recent animated movies are bad, "Rango" is just original and different. It is early to make too many predictions, but "Rango" may be showing up again next February