Rango

Rating: 6/10 (30 December 2011)

The visuals are off-putting at first (many of the character designs are really unappealing) but do eventually provide some stunning images, particularly when the film goes down slightly surreal paths. And the story is easy enough to tag along with, although it's cobbled together from a variety of familiar sources... mostly Westerns, but oddly enough, CHINATOWN more than anything else. But the problem is that most of the humor is either "Hey, recognize this reference?" or the usual anthropomorphism. Look, it's animals doing things you've seen people do. I just didn't think it was funny, nor did the film have much heart to it. When it's not being predictable, it's being obnoxious (don't get me started on the potty humor). It RESEMBLES fun -- big, loud action scenes and lots of one-liners and sight gags -- but it doesn't feel fun. It's actually sort of dull. Technologically, and even stylistically, impressive. Otherwise, no thank you.