Rango

After Rango accidentally kills the eagle that has been dining on Dirt’s citizens,he is persuaded by the mayor,a fat,old wheelchair-bound tortoise,which controls the ragged community’s water supply,to wear the sheriff’s badge and bring law and order to Dirt. This involves tough talk in saloons,face-downs on the main street and even a chase sequence between high canyon walls with an aerial attack out of a war film.

But before Rango faces his high noon with Rattlesnake Jake,he encounters the iconic Spirit of the West who bears an uncanny resemblance to an aged Man With No Name! Rango is a clever animated saga filled with style and wit.

Writer-director Gore Verbinski and his co-writer John Logan have nodded richly in tribute to the iconic heroes of the Westerns and Spaghetti Westerns,all with panache. Hence,here’s one animated feature some adults might enjoy more than their kids,as they rewind to classics like High Noon,Man With No Name,etc. The background music score plays back strains of the immortal Westerns. The animation is outstanding on the whole,but in particular the rattlesnake is wildly imaginative with a tail that fires like machine=guns.

Rango is a splendid film with a strong story,unlimited energy and a first-rate voice cast,headed by the indefatigable Johnny Depp as Rango and also including Abigail Breslin as Bean,Ned Beatty as the disabled mayor,Alfred Molina and Bill Nighy as Rattlesnake Jake.

An animated comedy for smart moviegoers,wonderfully made,great to look at,wickedly satirical,and filmed in glorious 2-D. Its brilliant colours and startling characters spring from the screen. Mercifully we are spared a 3-D view.

RATING: ****

One star each for script and direction,animation,voice talents and background score.