This movie was certainly different. It is a well made production for sure with a lot of very well staged action. However, the action did get a bit ridiculous and overblown. To compensate for this it seems that Johnny Depp played kind of a clown version of Tonto, in the same way he was a clownish pirate in Pirates of the Carribbean. That's not too surprising considering that some of the people involved with Pirates made this movie. They were obviously trying to duplicate the success of the pirate films. In doing so here they made one huge error. The error was in using such an iconic story without considering that too many people would be disappointed. By contrast, in the pirate films they invented a new icon, so to speak, while it could be said here that they are trying to destroy one.
The rest of the cast did a good job with what they were given. Ruth Wilson played a mildly insipid love interest for the Lobe Ranger and his brother (yes, one of those). The only performance I really liked much was by James Badge Dale who played a Texas Ranger brother to the Lone Ranger. His character felt more real. Barry Pepper played an interesting Custeresque soldier that at least entertained. Traditionally great performances were turned in by Tom Wilkenson and William Fichtner; both villains. But the villains were all so stereotyped it was boring. Much of the rest of the cast just seemed to disappear under endless grime.
Most disappointingly, Armie Hammer played the Lone Ranger part as a Dudly Do-Right of the Mounties kind of thing. I just have never liked actors playing parts that depict what are supposed to be normal men in such a negative way, like stupid and clueless. He was both. It's insulting and demeaning.
As a result of all this the filmmakers delivered something that bears no resemblance to the regular Lone Ranger we all remember. I guess only Clayton Moore and Jay Silverheels can be the real ones. The film was more in the way of a spoof of westerns. I usually think of such things as made by pseudo-intellectuals who can't bear to take themselves too seriously and/or who don't want to take any kind of American icon seriously; as though they just can't believe anything good can actually exist. They have to make fun of it, which just shows a complete lack of respect for mainstream Americans. In short, they're insulting their audience.
Almost unforgivably, the overlong final action scene just got boring in its predictability. It's too bad they couldn't come up with something more original than the Keystone Cops. In fact, the entire movie was way too long. They could have easily cut it to about ninety minutes and probably would have had a better film as a result.
In the end, the most enjoyably consistent thing in this jumble are the two young boys who played Danny Reid and Will; played respectively by Bryant Prince and Mason Elston Cook. I also noticed they played their parts straight. They were both good, especially Cook.
The rest of the cast did a good job with what they were given. Ruth Wilson played a mildly insipid love interest for the Lobe Ranger and his brother (yes, one of those). The only performance I really liked much was by James Badge Dale who played a Texas Ranger brother to the Lone Ranger. His character felt more real. Barry Pepper played an interesting Custeresque soldier that at least entertained. Traditionally great performances were turned in by Tom Wilkenson and William Fichtner; both villains. But the villains were all so stereotyped it was boring. Much of the rest of the cast just seemed to disappear under endless grime.
Most disappointingly, Armie Hammer played the Lone Ranger part as a Dudly Do-Right of the Mounties kind of thing. I just have never liked actors playing parts that depict what are supposed to be normal men in such a negative way, like stupid and clueless. He was both. It's insulting and demeaning.
As a result of all this the filmmakers delivered something that bears no resemblance to the regular Lone Ranger we all remember. I guess only Clayton Moore and Jay Silverheels can be the real ones. The film was more in the way of a spoof of westerns. I usually think of such things as made by pseudo-intellectuals who can't bear to take themselves too seriously and/or who don't want to take any kind of American icon seriously; as though they just can't believe anything good can actually exist. They have to make fun of it, which just shows a complete lack of respect for mainstream Americans. In short, they're insulting their audience.
Almost unforgivably, the overlong final action scene just got boring in its predictability. It's too bad they couldn't come up with something more original than the Keystone Cops. In fact, the entire movie was way too long. They could have easily cut it to about ninety minutes and probably would have had a better film as a result.
In the end, the most enjoyably consistent thing in this jumble are the two young boys who played Danny Reid and Will; played respectively by Bryant Prince and Mason Elston Cook. I also noticed they played their parts straight. They were both good, especially Cook.