[7]
A pet chameleon named Rango (voiced by Johnny Depp) gets lost in the desert where he stumbles upon a drought-stricken town in need of a sheriff. He fakes his way into the job and enjoys playing the part until he uncovers a water conspiracy that threatens his life and the town’s survival. Rango, directed by Gore Verbinski (The Ring, Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl), is the first feature animated film created by visual effects powerhouse Industrial Light and Magic. Aesthetically, it rivals the best work from Pixar Animation, though the story and tone may appeal more to older viewers than younger ones. Many jokes and one-liners will go right over the heads of children, to say nothing of the off-kilter, slightly creepy character designs and the film essentially being an animated spin on Roman Polanski’s Chinatown. There’s also a poignant scene in which Rango attempts suicide by walking across a busy thoroughfare — pretty heavy stuff for an animated family film.
Even though kids may not enjoy Rango, adults should find it funny, irreverent, and visually striking. Highlights include an action sequence in which a horde of moles ride bats into battle against Rango and his rag-tag allies, and a hallucinatory scene in which Rango receives a surprisingly moving pep talk from ‘The Spirit of the West’ (Timothy Olyphant), who closely resembles none other than Clint Eastwood’s Man with No Name. The voice cast includes Ned Beatty as the town’s shady mayor, Bill Nighy as a terrifying rattlesnake, and Alfred Molina as a spiritual armadillo.
With Isla Fisher, Abigail Breslin, Stephen Root, and Harry Dean Stanton.
Academy Award: Best Animated Feature Film