Tonto....and the Lone Ranger

According to Rotten Tomatoes, a popular online movie rating site, only 26% of the critics liked the new Johnny Depp "Lone Ranger" film, while 68% of the viewers liked it.  Why the discrepancy?  My guess (and something I think happens a lot) is that the viewers judged the movie on the last exciting, satisfying 20 minute ending, while the critics based their reviews on the entire movie.  And in this case, I kind of have to side with the critics.

Sure, as soon as the rousing William Tell Overture (i.e. Lone Ranger theme) began blaring on screen for the final time about 2 hours into the movie, seemly signalling us that the climax of the movie was about to begin,  the action thereafter was very entertaining.  Usually is when the bad guys throughout the movie finally get their just due.  However, I can't ignore the prior two hours.  And unfortunately, by the time the William Tell Overture started, my interested in the movie had pretty much already ended.

First off, the role reversal of Tonto being the outspoken brawn and brains of the duo while the Lone Ranger was basically an inept bozo was a bit odd and something I didn't really care for. It was almost like an Abbott (Tonto) and Costello (Lone Ranger) act. I guess I can understand the urge to try something like that as it potentially could provide a different angle on a popular story. But imagine watching the origin of Batman and Robin with Robin being the ring leader and calling the shots. It just isn't right! I suspect this decision to do this was done to please the $20 million a picture Depp, who, not coincidentally, played Tonto.  And although he was actually pretty entertaining as Tonto, he did at times remind me of his Jack Sparrow "Pirates of the Caribbean" character dressed up as a Comanche.  Also noteworthy was how his dialog as Tonto was inconsistent as he continuously went back and forth from using adjectives to being adjective free.

The part of the movie I had the most problem with, however, was what to label it.  Sometimes it was a comedy, other times a drama. There was no smooth melding of the two, which is actually difficult to do and very few can do well. When done right, they can be memorable (the Coen brothers "Fargo" is a good example), but when done wrong....a confusing mess resulting in an emotional roller coaster ride.  And that's how I felt watching "The Lone Ranger".  There were certainly some funny moments throughout, but many were frequently followed by a shockingly brutal scene. Scenes I wouldn't want my young kids to see (if I had any). Sure, some of them were off screen (it would have been an "R"-rated movie if they weren't), but they were still pretty intense and violent. A lady sitting in front of us at the movie summed it up best after watching this drama-to-comedy-to-drama see saw:  "I'm exhausted".  Although there wasn't a lot of blood in the movie, there was probably too much for a what (I think) was supposed to be a family movie.

There were also too many scenes in the movie that had nothing to do with the actual story. One example that immediately comes to mind has an unconscious Lone Ranger being dragged on the ground by a horse - horse stops to poop - horse continues walking and drags Lone Ranger over its droppings. Another has to do with a scorpion-eating horse. Maybe funny to a 12 year old, but they were prime candidates for the cutting room floor, as the 2 1/2 hour movie was at least a half hour too long to begin with. Going for an easy laugh, I guess.

The acting was fine but nothing special. As I said, Depp was entertaining as Tonto.  Armie Hammer of "The Social Network" fame (where he was terrific in a dual role as the Winklevoss twins) was ok as John Reid/the Lone Ranger.  He certainly looked the Lone Ranger part when wearing the mask. And he played the bumbling John Reid pretty well.  But his wimpy Lone Ranger act eventually grew old. It was only in the last few minutes of the movie did the Lone Ranger persona we all know finally surface. But when the fighting was over, he slipped back into his wimpy Lou Costello self again.  Ugh.  The always reliable Tom Wilkinson and William Fichtner were pretty good as the bad guys. Fichtner was the instigator or victim to many of the brutal scenes mentioned earlier. As such, his role probably could have been toned down a little.

In conclusion, as much as I wanted to like "The Lone Ranger", I came away pretty disappointed. I'm suspecting a lot of people may be starting to be as well, as after it's strong opening weekend on July 3rd, "The Lone Ranger" has plummeted down the box office money list the past two weekends.

Using my rating system (1= skip it, 2= rent it, 3= worth a matinee, 4= worth full price), I’d give it a “2”. If you really like horses and beautiful scenery, then maybe a "2.5".