Rango
Director: Gore Verbinski
Cast: Johnny Depp, Isla Fisher, Ned Beatty
Rated: PG
Running time: 107 minutes
Does anyone even make kid movies anymore? Seriously, the last five animated films I've seen are all targeted to children but they are written for adults. Well, here's yet another one to file under "kidult."
What separates this one from the rest, however is not the plot. It's pretty much the same plot as every other Western. What is refreshing, however, is the very strong Hunter S. Thomson vibe in this one (including a gonzo cameo), which ensures there is more than enough to distract everyone from the ho-hum story line.
Rango (played by Johnny Depp) finds his aquarium shot from the family car right into the middle of the desert and straight into spaghetti Western stereotype land. He begins his quest in a dusty town that is running out of water. Something smells fishy and Rango finds himself helping out the villagers.
While some "kidult" films are safe for everyone, this film is a little heavier on the adult side. The biggest clue is halfway through, when a character declares, "I found a human spinal cord in my fleeces." This, just moments after a mammogram joke. So yeah, I'd say this is more adult than kid entertainment, but most of the adult things go over their heads and there's lots of good visuals and quirky moments.
Rango is definitely worth a family watch, but be warned that it's probably a little much for the younger viewers, although sometimes scary-movie-snuggles are awesome, so it's pretty much a win-win all around.
