So for my first post of a "what's on my mind" nature, I thought I would relate my thoughts about the movie "Rango" I just saw. It was well produced and quite entertaining overall. I have a tendency to look at film reviews online before I watch one (I'm not a film junkie; I probably watch one or two a month - I'm a busy man) so I can avoid wasting time on something cinematically unsatisfying. However I don't always give these reviews as much credence as I used to, since I am increasingly coming to appreciate just how strongly they are based on the expectations of viewers who are unable to think outside of their own little expectations-box. "This is what a Pixar film should be like," "This is what a horror film should be like," "this is what a parody should be like," etc. So now I have to try to read "through" the reviews (in the interpretive, not chronological sense) to figure out how well I will like something. Fortunately, this movie was clever enough to defy most attempts to categorize it. "Western comedy-drama" is a place to start but that description is only a beginning (based on that alone, you'd never guess the characters were anthropomorphized animals), and it's still difficult to be sure what age group the audience is supposed to be.
So the cheesiest part was the general concept that our little lizard protagonist needs to "find himself" or something like that. Don't people get tired of that as a major movie theme? Not that it isn't true, it's just really expected. But reviewers don't mind certain things being expected, and this theme is one of those things. Other aspects of a film are not permitted by reviewers to be expected - like, the surface details of the plot. What's the difference? I'm not sure. Anyway, even I admit that the film would have been less satisfying had Rango not found himself and just given up. Also, a few loose ends were not tied up for me, but it may just be that I need to watch it again. What was the meaning of the surreal dream where the water poured out of the pipe into the desert? (Or is this an instance of me asking too many questions about what was meant to be open-ended?) Why did lizard-chick think she had seen someone dumping water out in the desert? How did the mayor leave footprints when he seems like he always has to sit in a wheelchair-sort-of-thing for the entire film? (Oops, I just spoiled part of the film for those of you who haven't seen it - sorry. But not too badly.)
Other than that, I thought it was a great film, and very rewarding with plenty of strengths. The voice acting was superb and it was a lot of fun to watch just for the weird factor. I hope I have a chance to see it again sometime, if I get around to it. I am not one of those people who likes to pick apart themes from the movie and apply them to culture or theology. At least not tonight, since it's getting late. A film is a film and it just isn't always a big deal.
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