My Review of Rango (RIP Ned Beatty) · 12:53am Jun 15th, 2021
Rating Scale:
12/10—a complete masterpiece; flawless and outstanding
11/10—Excellent, near-perfect film
10/10—the standard rating; awesome film with a couple of flaws
9/10—a wonderful film with several flaws
8/10–a great film with numerous flaws but not enough to ruin it
7/10—a fun and entertaining movie; not great but still enjoyable
6/10—a slightly above average film; it is something I might watch again
5/10—mediocre movie; not awful but not great either
4/10—a below average film; it could have been much better
3/10—a bad film; poorly written and poorly executed
2/10—a very bad movie; the few good things in the movie overshadowed by the bad things
1/10—a terrible movie; a total waste of time
0/10—a worthless piece of abomination; should have never been made
Hey, guys. Today, I will be reviewing an underrated film called Rango from 2011. This is also one of my favorite movies from my childhood that I vividly remember. It is full of family fun, comedy, action, and adventure which are some of my favorite elements in a film especially in an animated one. This movie features a lonely chameleon who aspires to be something greater, something important, and to be someone worth remembering such as a protagonist in a story. I can somewhat relate to him in terms of knowing what you are destined for and what you truly aspire to be one day.
Speaking of the titular character, I loved his charismatic personality, sense of humor, and his intellectual ability to come up with plans and ideas although he messes up here and there. Johnny Depp did an exceptionally great performance as Rango in this film. Although I am rather surprised he hasn't utilized his natural ability (as a chameleon) to outwardly adapt to any environment through his disguises as much in the movie. The one time he did that was when he was in that vending machine to protect himself from that hawk.
The animation looks great, and it still holds up to this day. The character designs look amazing, the voice acting is top-notch, and the story was really interesting and simple enough to follow through.
Rango was not the only character I enjoyed watching, of course. I also loved other characters such as Beans (voiced by Isla Fisher), Roadkill (voiced by Alfred Molina), and Bad Bill (voiced by Ray Winstone). They were all greatly fascinating to watch on screen and had unique personalities that appealed to me.
The humor in this was likewise amazing. My favorite parts had to do with the chase scenes from the Hawk, the adventures with the Town of Dirt, and especially those owl singers/narrators. Basically, everything in the movie was done well. However, there is one character in particular whom I consider to be the best character in the entire movie: Rattlesnake Jake.
To be honest with you guys, the very moment I saw his character design on a picture, that was when I instantly loved this guy. This was back when I was a kid and even before I watched this movie. I never even watched the trailers for this. That's when you know you have done a great job with this antagonist. Jake was really menacing, intimidating, very manipulative, and sadistically cunning; also, he has a code of honor as we see him rightfully call out Rango on his lies in front of the whole town. He even reveals himself as someone who detests betrayal and who can willingly show gratitude and can cooperate with those who share a common foe. In my opinion, he really isn't a villain; he is more of an anti-hero to me based on those things (even though he is considered the Grim Reaper of the West). Great voice performance, Bill Nighy!
Lastly, I want to dedicate the ending of this review to Ned Beatty, the actor who played as the Mayor and Lotso from Toy Story 3.
This gentleman passed away yesterday at the age of 83. Although his character was a decent villain, Ned Beatty still did a great job voicing him. I express my sincere condolences to his family as they mourn for him at this time. His acting career will continue to live on in the films he played in for all those who continue to enjoy listening and watching him. May he rest in peace.
In conclusion, this film is a wonderful piece of art from Nickelodeon that deserves a solid 10/10.
Peace.
Who doesn't love a good Western?
"I tip my hat to you, one legend to another." - Rattlesnake Jake
No bullshit, Rattlesnake Jake has the best lines in this movie.
"Sign the damn paper, woman!"
"Go to hell."
"Where do you think I come from?"
That is badass. Whoever came up with Rattlesnake Jake deserves a medal. Also, if you look at his upper lip, his scales mimic a mustache.
Man. I didn’t even know that Ned Beatty passed on recently until you mentioned it in this review.
Rest In Peace, Mr. Beatty.