Reviews WesternAnimation / Rango

Wonderfully unconventional, but intensely ugly

Rango is easily one of the most unconventional animated films in history, featuring highly realistic animation, very strange characters with western accents, a mean-spirited atmosphere and a lot of adult elements. And while I did enjoy seeing what this movie had to offer, I also found it quite uncomfortable to sit through at the same time.

Rango's biggest strength is its animation. It's some of the best I've seen; everything looks magnificently detailed. The filmmakers captured a dirty western universe perfectly, as it has all the trimmings you'd expect and more. When watching the film, I really felt I was transported into its world. I almost felt the sweltering heat emanating from the screen. The lighting is also magnificent, with excellent visual contrasts between murky darkness and blinding brightness.

Another big strength of the movie is Rango himself. He's immediately likable because we can relate to him. He's an imaginative lizard who just wants some adventure and acceptance in his dull, friendless world, and watching him explore the film's world is satisfying and a lot of fun. Unfortunately, though, the film's unique style, while very intriguing, comes with one serious flaw - the other characters are extremely ugly. While Rango himself is easy to look at, the supporting cast is so hideous that it actually made me feel somewhat sick to look at them. It was often hard for me to even care about them as well. Their bizarre designs (with many moustaches) and thick Southern accents give them overly dark and sometimes nasty dispositions that distract too much.

Plot-wise, it's a mixed bag. It's interesting to see where Rango's journey takes him, but I also wanted it to end after a while. It's one of those movies that has so much story to tell that it drags on and on. The film's (excuse the pun) polar opposite, Happy Feet, suffered from the same problem. Also, the film's unashamedly non-family-friendly tone makes it less charming than it should be. Many references to death, smoking and drinking give it an atmosphere that comes off as pretentious. It's a different movie - perhaps too different.

Two viewings of Rango is certainly enough for me at the moment. I might not want to watch it again for quite a while, but I'm glad I at least got to experience the film's clever, though very dodgy, innovations.