"Rango"
Pixar has been the king of animation for the past sixteen years. In the past ten years we've seen other studios throw their hats into the ring. For the most part their attempts have been futile. It's not that the other studios can't get the big name actors to lend their vocal talents or that their features are technologically deficient. The problem always seems to lie in the screenplay. The has story has to appeal to children and adults of all ages. Pixar figured out that formula a long time ago. DreamWorks got it right with How to Train Your Dragon and now Paramount can say the same with Rango.
Rango (Johnny Depp), a pet chameleon who has a taste for theatrics, is thrown out the back of a car which shatters his glass enclosure. He is now left to fend for himself in the real world. Rango then begins to ponder several questions about himself like who is he and what is his purpose? Also, where can he get a drink of water?
The answers to all of Rango’s questions are found in the lovely town of Dirt. Dirt is faced with a real predicament. Their aqua access has run arid. After a chilly reception by the townspeople, Rango is able to gain their trust by concocting some tall tales about himself conquering foes. They think he’s the real deal. In turn the town elects him sheriff and together they attempt to get the bottom of what is causing the drought.
Gore Verbinski, director of the Pirates of the Caribbean films, has a tight grasp on the reigns in wanting to make Rango a top-notch animated flick. All the landscapes and sets are so richly textured and detailed, elevating them to a completely new level of realism. The characters facial features too, particularly their eyes and mouths, are able to convey a wide range of emotions.
The lighting, supervised by Director of Photography virtuoso Roger Deakins, appears natural and completely representative of the setting. Verbinski and Deakins must have seen plenty of westerns to achieve the look and feel for this film. The camera movement is kinetic and energetic, with certain shots paying homage to directors John Ford, Howard Hawks, and Sergio Leone.
Enough with the tech specs though, the screenplay too is engaging and full of life with a fresh take on the genre. Brimming with humor and amusing characters, the colorful cast includes the voices of Isla Fisher, Ned Beatty, Harry Dean Stanton, Stephen Root, and Bill Nighy. Depp is clearly the highlight of the show, making this a vehicle for his vocal talents. The great supporting cast further upholds Depp’s performance.
Rango is one of those animated films where you can clearly see each actor's performance come through the character they are voicing on screen. This is probably because Verbinski used a technique that Depp liked to call, "Emotion Capture." The process involved filming all actors together as they acted and blocked out the entire script as if it were a play. This was then provided to the animators as reference material.
Yes, Rango is an animated film. Furthermore, yes it was marketed as a film for kids. This in no way though should deter certain audiences from seeing Rango. Rango embodies all the characteristics of a live action film except it’s with talking animals. Verbinski and his skilled cast and crew have put together a mature and fully developed piece of work that is on par with Pixar’s technical prowess and storytelling ability.
Is there anything Johnny Depp can't do? I was fascinated with this actor and his incredible range from the time I saw Gilbert Grape. He's one of the few actors whose name on the marquee can, all by itself, persuade me to see a movie.
ReplyDeleteAnd just when I was impressed with his dramatic talents the Pirates comes along and shows me his comic talents, not to mention his courage at going over the top with what must have seemed a pretty "iffy" portrayal.