The Lone Ranger

Gore Verbinski's "The Lone Ranger" has been savaged by critics.
Before my viewing at Grafton's Saraton Theatre on Tuesday night, I had read a review that called it "a train wreck", and heard another commentator say it's score of "25% on film review website Rotten Tomatoes was generous".
For some part I can see exactly where they are coming from.
A large percentage of the jokes are quite tacky and some aren't even funny. The composition of the film's plot with several interruptions of an ageing Tonto (Johnny Depp) retelling parts of the story to a young boy who idolises "The Lone Ranger" is unneeded, adds minimal and merely serves to break up what could be a fun action adventure ride.
Johnny Depp's performance as Tonto has copped a bit of flak of sensitive and cultural grounds, but I see it more as an almost identical portrayal to how he is Captain Jack Sparrow in the Pirates of the Caribbean series.
But maybe we are all being a little bit too serious.
After all, it is technically a Disney film.
If you look at it from that point of view - as I did after the first few sequences - you can have a lot of fun with the film.
The Lone Ranger is a fun western film, featuring the typical "western" themes of cowboys, outlaws, murder and revenge, watered down and injected with a lot of humour to make it accessible to kids.
Armie Hammer's John Reid is returning home to Texas via the uncompleted Transcontinental Railway when it is attacked and hijacked by Butch Cavendish's gang. Cavendish (William Fichtner) is being transported in the train as a prisoner with Tonto, with both set to hang face punishment for their crimes. A derailment and arrest later, Reid is enlisted to join the Texas Rangers by older brother Dan, who then set out with six other rangers to bring Cavendish to justice.
It is after this Reid takes on the persona of The Lone Ranger, joining Tonto as they seek revenge for a lifetime of pain caused by Cavendish.


Let yourself become fully immersed in the story and in Armie Hammer's portrayal of The Lone Ranger and you will find yourself having a good belly laugh at his noble white steed Silver's antics.
The Lone Ranger is as fun a ride as you let it be.

The Lone Rangers: 149 minutes (2013)