My Re-Analyzing of Rango/Analysis of the Extended Edition · 11:15pm Jan 9th, 2022
Yo, what's up, Kemosabes?
This is your friendly film, TV show, and episode reporter here with another review.
Today, I'm gonna be giving you guys another re-analyzing on a film I already reviewed years ago:
A review on the extended version of "Rango"/Re-Analyzing of the film.
As with my review on the extended version of "King Kong (2005)"/Re-Analyzing of the film as a whole, I'll be skipping giving "Rango" a summary.
If anyone wants to see what this movie is about, though, click on the below. Through there, you can also see what I think of the theatrical version:
Anyway...
After I did this sort of thing with "King Kong (2005) back in 2021, I was inspired to do the same thing with "Rango" since that movie had an extended version as well. It was included on the same disc as the theatrical version, so I didn't have to rent it from anywhere in order to see it.
So, what do I think of the extended version of "Rango"?
Well, even though it mainly consists of the small bits that got cut out of the theatrical version and put in the deleted scenes section of the DVD, I enjoyed watching the extended version regardless.
As a matter of fact, when I saw the deleted scenes together with the present footage, I thought that they mixed perfectly with the rest of the film. Despite how unusual they may be, they weren't out of place in the slightest. They greatly contributed to the plot by helping the pacing and narrative flow be smoother, and the jokes they contained were fun to watch. Even the part where Rango was leading the search party in a prayer for Mr. Merrimack proved to be entertaining and far from unnecessary.
But, if I had to pick what my favorite scene from the extended version was, it'd be the alternate ending.
In the theatrical version, the film ended simply with Rango and the residents of Dirt celebrating and the owls concluding their narration, although it wouldn't be without them implying that Rango would die soon afterwards. In the extended version, though, we get an in-depth look at what happens to Dirt after Rango saves the town, and the fates of the characters isn't left uncertain. Everything about it provided a clearer sense of closure than the theatrical version's ending did, and it wasn't as abrupt either. It also gives assurance that Rango won't be someone who's gone too soon.
Outside of the deleted scenes proving to be essential to the story, they also benefitted the characters. They provided a little more time for audiences to understand their situations and get to know them more, and they helped their developments not seem too rushed. A prime example comes from the character of Waffles the Horned Lizard, as the additional scenes helped him to not fade in the background and be more memorable than before.
On the subject of the characters and voice acting, I'd like to talk about a couple of elements regarding them that I didn't mention in the theatrical version.
Similar to the theatrical version, I deeply enjoyed the performances of Johnny Depp as Rango, Isla Fisher as Beans, and Bill Nighy as Rattlesnake Jake. Each of the individual characters I mentioned were also the ones I enjoyed the most, and even though Rattlesnake Jake didn't get as much screen time the filmmakers provided excellent buildup for him.
But, what I didn't comment on before was that the performances of the late Ned Beatty as Mayor Tortoise John and Ray Winstone as Bad Bill were equally impressive, and the two characters themselves were compelling in their own way. Also, the fact that voice actor Stephen Root and co-writer James Ward Byrkit voiced more than one character in this movie was amazing! Root provided the voices of Doc Kenny the Jackrabbit, Mr. Snuggles the porcupine, and Johannes Merrimack the ground squirrel; and Byrkit provided the voice of Waffles, as well as Gordy, Papa Joad, and Cousin Murt. Blake Clark also gave a great performance as Buford the Colorado River Toad, and Abigail Breslin stole the show in her performance as Priscilla the cactus mouse. Plus, Alfred Molina did an awesome job portraying Roadkill the Armadillo.
The reason I'm giving these new compliments towards these performers and characters I just mentioned is because my time watching the extended version helped me enjoy them even more. And believe me, it helped me remember my enjoyment of them too.
In conclusion, the extended version of "Rango" was just as fantastic of a watch as the theatrical version. Now I'm not saying that I dislike the theatrical version now, I actually think both versions of the film are awesome. However, when it comes to which has the best narrative flow and is more satisfactory, the extended version is definitely the one.
With all this being said, "Rango" as a whole not only keeps its 5 out of 5 star rating, but both versions now share in that.
To Gore Verbinski: Even though it's been over 10 years since you made this film, I would love for you to make another animated feature at some point. Considering how long it's been since you last helmed a movie, I believe that a new animated film would be a perfect next project for you to work on.
I remember seeing this and enjoying this movie as a kid. Although I'm not into western, this movie is an underrated masterpiece.
Well, this movie is not my cup of tea, but this movie from what I remember is so good and have some good funny moments that made me laugh so hard