The Lone Ranger

FLIX!


Okay, there has been a lot of negative ink about this flick. It didn't do this, it didn't do that, it took too long telling the story of background info....yada yada yada.

This was a wonderful movie that does not deserve any of the negativity it has garnered. Johnny Depp has served up one of the roles that will be a cornerstone when in the future they are doing the life-time achievement awards for something. He was utterly fantastic in this. Johnny kept this piece together and did so with finesse thanks to the help of director Gore Verbinski.

Armie Hammer in the lead role was uncanny. Do not underestimate this guy. He is definitely an up-and-comer. He did a wonderful job in this really good movie.

The storyline here was true to the original storyline of the original Lone Ranger story, and I loved that. And for you trivia fans, did you know that the grandson of the Lone Ranger would become the Green Hornet? Didn't think so. They don't mention it in the movie, but I just toss it out there.

The Lone Ranger was masterful story-telling, done light-heartedly, and was a lot of fun. Johnny Depp did tend to steal the show as Tonto, but overall this was superb story-telling, setting us up for the next installment of this Disney franchise.

In this movie, John Reid, the Lone Ranger was played masterfully by Armie Hammer. (Guess he's too self-concious to go by Armand Hammer.) But this is really told through the eyes of Tonto - an Indian, (as was "One Flew Over The Cukoo's Nest"),.... but that's another story.

Okay, here's the deal. A bunch of US Rangers get set-up and all get killed in a bushwhack in a canyon. One guy survives (due to the assistance of an Indian), and therefore he becomes the "Lone Ranger". They go on a mission to bring the killer of the Rangers to justice and the plot ensues from there.

There is a lot of whacky impossible death-defying acts and action, but honestly, isn't that what we go to movies for sometimes?

William Fichtner, as Butch Cavendish (the bad guy),was wonderful. Bill, you have been a favorite of mine since "The Perfect Storm." Nicely done, pal. You were the quintessential villain.

A kid wanders into a "Wild West" display in a carnival in 1933 and Tonto is one of the exhibits. He ends up talking to Tonto, and Tonto's flashbacks are the movie. I love movies that do this (The Green Mile, Fried Green Tomatoes, etc.) and so it was, to me, a great way to tie it all together. If there were a Tonto he could have been alive in the early 1930s esspecially when I remember that Wyatt Earp didn't die until 1927, and Bat Masterson was a sports reporter for the New York Times well into the 20's.

This new genre is being labeled "Comedy Action". Such as RED and The Heat. The Lone Ranger perfectly hits that mark. It even featured the "1812 Overture" (from TLR television show during some action sequences). I'm sorry so many critics didn't like it. This didn't deserve any harshness, because it accomplished exactly what it was trying to do. So, to quote The Lone Ranger,

"Hi-HO SILVER, and away!!!!"

Tonto: "Don't ever do that again."