Sunday, July 28, 2013

Kemosabe

Have I really gotten so cynical about mainstream criticism that the second something is said to be a flop, I naturally assume it must be an underrated and misunderstood gem? This was the feeling I had when I decided my birthday film this year be the new "Lone Ranger" film. Everyone was saying it sucked, and I could only find one theatre still playing it, so naturally I said "Gotta get me some of that, make up my own damn mind."

Though I confess that as the lights dimmed, I got a sinking feeling that maybe there was a reason everyone hated it. Maybe the critics were right for a change. Did I just drag my family to a dud just because I no longer trust what I read online?

Hi-Yo, Spoilers, AWAYYYYYY!!!!!



I should have known better than to entertain nagging doubts.

Here is the truth: This movie is cheesy. It's tongue-and-cheek, it's silly, and it knows this and milks it for all it's worth, making sure you're aware based on lampshade hanging and Johnny Depp mugging.

If you go into this movie expecting anything else, you will be sorely, sorely disappointed. Though I don't see how anyone could expect anything else after having seen any footage from any trailer whatsoever. I'm also not well-versed in Lone Ranger lore, so I can't speak to its faithfulness, but I suspect that Ranger buffs seeking a SERIOUS BUSINESS adaptation will also be sorely, sorely disappointed.

However, if you go in expecting something cheesy, tongue-and-cheek, and silly that knows it and milks it for all it's worth, making sure you're aware based on lampshade hanging and Johnny Depp mugging; and especially if you're the kind of person like me who likes all that kind of thing, especially the Johnny Depp Mugging part, then you'll be immensely satisfied and perhaps pleasantly surprised.


This movie does a lot of things very well, most notably the production design is amazing. So is the acting, for what it's trying to be, and the meat of this movie is seeing how the characters interact off of each other. The action scenes are very exciting, and the climax is one of the more thrilling I've seen in a while and beautifully done.

The plot isn't doing anything terribly new - It's obvious that Tom Wilkinson's character is the Big Bad the second he's introduced less than ten minutes in - and certain things are choppy and a little weirder than perhaps they should be (carnivorous bunnies? Are we searching for the Holy Grail here?). There are some interesting elements from the Comanche point of view, but it's not saying anything we haven't heard since we first realized that persecution of the natives might not have been such a good idea after all, so your mileage will vary as to whether or not it's worth driving home once again.

There is, however, this wonderful framing device of old Tonto telling the story to a young Lone Ranger fan in a sideshow (as an aside, the old-age makeup on Depp is fan-freaking-tastic). As it's established that Tonto is not completely there, this could be evidence the weirder embellishments are coming from an unreliable narrator. Then again, maybe the movie doesn't want people to read that deeply into it in the first place:

*Tonto has just appeared in the desert when the last time we saw him was in a jail cell*
Kid Ranger Fan: Wait, how did you get out of jail?
Old!Tonto: ............

This movie operates heavily on the MST3K Mantra, and remembering that will get you through it a lot better. I'm still not sure I'd call it a "good" movie per se, but it's certainly not a bad movie - not like people have been saying. I'm very glad I saw it, and I would definitely see it again.

Of course, what else could I expect from a team that pleasantly surprised me exactly ten years ago...

11 comments:

  1. Glad you enjoyed it. I'm planning on seeing it myself this week along with Pacific Rim, based on the handful of positive notes I've been hearing from people I respect.

    There's an odd part of me that unreservedly loves western iconography, so I'm hoping to at the very least have a good time with it.

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    1. Not at all interested, but I've never been much of a Humongous Mecha person. It does look well-made.

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    2. Yeah, to be honest the concept itself doesn't interest me too much (though I do have a passing interest in Kaiju), but I've just heard so many overwhelmingly good things about it I figured I might as well give it a shot.

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  2. I really loved this movie too. As for the poor critical reaction? The critics did it ON PURPOSE. They all had a grudge against this movie from when it was announced that Johnny Depp would play Tonto They have sought to tear this movie to pieces at every turn, and filled with glee to do it. I have no idea why.

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    1. This had been Depp's dream project for years (well, this and Dark Shadows). It's well-known he has Native ancestry, so why begrudge him that?

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    2. Just sayin' (and this is from someone who thinks the negative reaction from the film is largely undeserved), saying that critics hated a film "ON PURPOSE" and sought out to hate it is really pretty rude and a major discredit to the profession. Critics don't *want* to hate something any more than a normal moviegoer does.

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    3. Well, as much as I don't agree with the blanket statement, you can't deny negative criticism sells, and some grudges do seem to be held for no good reason (*coughLucascough*)

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    4. Negative criticism sells (which is to be fair a fault of readers more than the writers), but that still doesn't mean critics *try* to be negative all the time. I get weary of those sorts of presumptions being made- "you only hated it 'cause you WANTED to hate it!" and so on.


      Also the prequels got generally favorable reviews from critics when they came out, so I don't really see a 'grudge' being held against Lucas there.

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    5. Again, the blanket statement is false, but they are out there. And few people listen to the real mainstream critics anymore anyway; it's all internet word-of-mouth.

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  3. I too saw "The Lone Ranger" in theaters and it actually stuck with the franchise mythology (8 rangers ride out, 7 are killed including the Ranger's brother, silver bullets, a no-kill policy, operating outside the law, "william tell overture", etc. etc.). It was a very well-made, entertaining western, however I slightly felt that it didn't need "The Lone Ranger" association. I feel some boomers might be disappointed with the film because it goes a little outfield in it's portrayal of Ranger Reid's slight naievete and cluelessness. The cannibal scene (though discreet) may even shock some fans because that would have never even been implied on radio or television. All in all I agree with you about critics growing snootiness (oh Roger Ebert, how I miss you so much)considering how they hated "Man of Steel" (another film I enjoyed) to the point where the EDITOR OF ROTTEN TOMATOES had to express his dismay. I had fun watching "The Lone Ranger" and I even liked it more than "Pirates of the Caribbean".

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    1. Kind of sad I missed Man of Steel, but I have so little time and money for the movies these days. Got some freebie tickets for my birthday though, so my wife and I may catch a few flicks in the next month.

      Unless of course we decide to wait for Catching Fire and Desolation of Smaug...

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