A spaghetti western... with a lizard as the lead

Rating: 9/10 (12 March 2011)

Rango is not only in love with the spaghetti western, but with movies in general. There's a scene in the opening that plays tribute to Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas, a "bat scene" later that winks at Apocalypse Now, and numerous nods to Sergio Leone's westerns throughout the course of the film. Rango is a passionate movie that's passionate about movies.
This in no way suggests that Gore Verbinski's latest doesn't stand on its own two feet. To date, it's by far the most interesting and unique film I've seen in 2011. While it does play tribute to many predecessors, it doesn't let the homage make up for its lack of narrative. John Logan's script is full of character and wonderful, delectable dialog that dances off the tip of the tongue. As with "True Grit," I found myself wanting to quote the film after I saw it, displaying my movie "geekiness" for all to see and judge me by. Logan, to my surprise, also injects the film with a level of surreal that makes it more interesting compared to many of the other mainstream animated films being released today. In fact, I dare say the script and narrative is quite daring. Younger children may not only be confused by the path it takes in terms of storytelling, but also miss much of the banter and humor in the film. I haven't said this about a non-Pixar animated feature for what seems like some time now, but Rango is quite intelligent. It doesn't speak down to its audience with the obvious. Sure, there are somewhat predictable plot twists and turns (anyone who has seen a handful of the aforementioned spaghetti westerns of years past will notice similarities to Once Upon a Time in the West, The Man with No Name trilogy, etc.), but the story is presented in a very interesting manner.
Despite the fact that the film is computer generated, much of the "puppetry" in the film reminds me of the Jim Henson films of the 80s. The creatures are so full of life, so detailed, and so wonderfully molded into their roles. The animation style--thanks to the imaginations of James Ward Byrkit, David Shannon, Eugene Yelchin, and Mark McCreery--has a strong and significant impression on the film. Rango, quite frankly, looks unlike any other animated film I've seen. Additionally, the style helps to compound the surreal nature of many of the films events. John Logan's script and the visual/art style work together in perfect conjunction.
As far as direction goes, Gore Verbinski's fantastical style that dominated the look and feel of the Pirates films is here is in prime form. In fact, there's a scene that involves our lead lizard and rolly pollies that reminded me of a certain Davey Jones' Locker sequence in At World's End. The action set pieces show off all of the experience Verbinski has garnered over the course of directing the swashbuckling series. I haven't felt as exhilarated by action/adventure scenes since I last watched an Indiana Jones film. I constantly caught myself grinning like a fool during the more frantic moments of the movie.
When it comes to the voice acting, Rango is sublime. Bill Nighy, in particular, does outstanding work as Rattlesnake Jake. Ned Beatty is perfectly cast and comfortable with voicing the Mayor of 'Dirt.' Without spoiling anything, the biggest revelation for me was who lent their talents to bring a voice to the Spirit of the West.
One thing that ultimately separates Rango from the majority of films I've seen so far this year is that it's memorable. It's been a day since I've seen the film and I'm still chewing the film over in my mind. Rango is a number of things--a feast for the eyes, stimulator of interesting vocabulary, etc.—but it's primarily a fresh experience despite having an assortment of familiar themes and plot devices at its disposal. It's fun for all ages and rewards older movie buffs just as much, if not more so, as its younger viewers.
A final note: As a demystified final buff, it's become a rare occasion for me to desire to give a film an immediate second viewing after finishing the first but I instantly wanted to do so with Rango. I hope others, movie maniacs and general audiences alike, get this urge and amount of enjoyment out of the film.
Related Recommendations: A Fistful of Dollars, Once Upon a Time in the West, Tombstone, Pirates of the Caribbean: Curse of the Black Pearl, Fantastic Mr. Fox, Coraline.