Rango: An entertaining animated Western for the whole family

Rango (animation, comedy, adventure)

Directed by Gore Verbinski

Starring the voices of Johnny Depp, Isla Fisher, Bill Nighy and Ned Beatty

Paramount Pictures | 2011 | 112 min | Rated PG | Released Jul 15, 2011

Video:

Video codec: MPEG-4 AVC

Video resolution: 1080p

Aspect ratio: 2.40:1

Audio:

English: DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1

French, Portuguese, Spanish: Dolby Digital 5.1

Subtitles:

English, English SDH, French, Portuguese, Spanish

Discs:

50GB Blu-ray Disc

DVD copy (with digital copy)

The Film 4/5

The Blu-ray includes the 107-minute theatrical version and a 112-minute extended version.

Rango (Depp) is an aquatic chameleon who is trying to discover his purpose in life. He lives alone in a tank until the car it is being transported in hits a bump and gives him his freedom in the desert. His journey begins when he discovers an armadillo and is told to visit the nearby town of Dirt if he wants to find water. He’s given a ride by Beans (Fisher), who owns land in the valley and drops him off in town.

Rango begins the movie as a liar who is unsure of his capabilities, until dumb luck elevates him in the eyes of the locals and he starts to believe in himself. He represents hope as the townspeople struggle to find the water they need to survive.

The first part of the story is not particularly encouraging. It moves at a frantic pace and initially relies on characters being hurt, and belch or fart jokes for comic relief. But things eventually settle down and the story starts to work. It references many movies from the Western genre, including True Grit and High Noon. Some scenes pay tribute to other movies such as Star Wars.

The story is simple, but the setting and design of the characters is extremely detailed. There’s also a wealth of voice talent in the supporting cast, including Ray Winstone, Harry Dean Stanton, Abigail Breslin and Timothy Olyphant, as well as the main cast.

The dialogue isn’t typical and a lot of it won’t be easily understood by children. The characters mention chromosome pools, paradigm shifts and aquifers. Rango, in particular, is very articulate. It’s quite refreshing to see this kind of thing in an animated movie. Maybe some of the kids will ask their parents to explain terms they don’t understand. Even though some of the dialogue is complex, the story is easy to follow.

The movie is a mix of fast-paced action, dumb jokes, clever jokes, battle scenes and quiet moments in which Rango contemplates his existence. There are problems to be solved, misunderstandings and traditional themes of good versus evil. One of my favorite elements is the use of a mariachi band, composed of four owls, documenting Rango’s tale through the use of various songs.

I won’t reveal any more of the plot, but I found Rango to be an enjoyable ride. The first 30 minutes had me worried because of the pacing and the dumb jokes, but things improve significantly in the last hour. I often have problems adjusting to the style of North American animation after seeing one of Hayao Miyazaki’s films, and I viewed Spirited Away a few days ago. Once I accepted that Rango was a totally different style; I started to enjoy it more.  It’s not perfect, but it’s well worth your time.

Video Quality 5/5

If you’ve ever seen a Pixar movie on Blu-ray, you’ll have an idea what to expect from Rango. I couldn’t detect a single fault. Colors are striking and detail is exceptional. All of the backgrounds seem properly finished and add depth to the image. When you see Rango’s face at the start of the movie, it looks like he’s in the room with you. Clothing, skin, scenery and water are all displayed perfectly. This is a presentation that shows off the Blu-ray format wonderfully. Nobody will be disappointed with the look of the movie.

Audio Quality 5/5

The DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 track doesn’t disappoint either. There’s a lot going on throughout the movie and the lossless audio handles everything well. Some of the battle scenes are particularly loud, while other scenes rely on music for maximum effect. The rear speakers are used frequently and I didn’t detect any faults in the mix. The image will dazzle you, but you’ll be happy with the sound too.

Special Features 4/5

The additional features are all presented in full HD.

Audio Commentary (Extended version only) with Director, Gore Verbinski; Head of Story James Ward Byrkit; Production Designer Mark "Crash" McCreery; Animation Director Hal Hickel; and Visual Effects Supervisor Tim Alexander.

Breaking the Rules: Making Animation History (48:52) – A two-part feature consisting of The Stage is Set and Now we Ride. Learn about how the movie was made and see the evolution of the characters.

Deleted Scenes (8:27) – A brief look at 10 additional scenes which will seem very familiar if you watched the extended version of the movie.

Real Creatures of Dirt (22:15) – Showing real desert creatures such as snakes, scorpions, tarantulas and armadillos.

Storyboard Reel Picture-in-Picture (theatrical version only)

A Field Trip to Dirt – An interactive digital model which allows you to ride through the town and look around.

Theatrical Trailer (2:27)

Credits

Previews

DVD Copy (digital copy on disc)

Rango is a fun way to spend almost two hours. Although some of the dialogue is complex, the movie is suitable for the whole family and has something for everyone. The blend of action and humor works well overall and the animals make interesting and memorable characters. The Blu-ray is just about perfect and Rango immediately ranks among the best presentations the format has to offer.

Overall score 4.5/5

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True Grit (2010) - A remake worth seeing

True Grit (western, drama, adventure)

Directed by Ethan Coen and Joel Coen

Starring Jeff Bridges, Matt Damon, Hailee Steinfeld and Josh Brolin

Paramount Pictures | 2010 | 110 min | Rated PG-13 | Released Jun 07, 2011

Video:

Video codec: MPEG-4 AVC

Video resolution: 1080p

Aspect ratio: 2.35:1

Audio:

English: DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1

French, Portuguese, Spanish: Dolby Digital 5.1

Subtitles:

English, English SDH, French, Spanish, Portuguese

Discs:

50GB Blu-ray Disc

Digital copy

DVD copy

The Film 4.5/5

True Grit was nominated for 10 Oscars, but failed to win any. Jeff Bridges was unlikely to win after finally being recognized a year ago, but Roger Deakins (cinematography) and Hailee Steinfeld (supporting actress) were particularly unlucky to lose.

I’m generally not in favor of watching remakes, or Westerns, but this one is worth it. The Coens don’t make bad films. The acting is superb and there’s just the right balance between action, drama and humor.

The story is narrated and told from the viewpoint of Mattie Ross (Steinfeld), a 14-year-old girl who wants to hire someone to catch the man who killed her father. After hearing the qualities of the potential candidates, she approaches Rooster Cogburn (Bridges). He’s a one-eyed drunk with a reputation for getting the job done. Perhaps she wanted someone with the same strength of character as her own?

One of the best scenes in the movie comes early. Mattie argues with a horse trader, wanting compensation for a horse of her father’s stolen while under the trader’s care, as well as a refund for four ponies her father bought. This is where we see that Mattie, although young, is intelligent and capable of looking after her interests. The trader meets most of her demands and is relieved to see her leave.

Cogburn’s character is revealed when he gives evidence in court. It’s clear that he’ll kill if necessary, and that he thinks it’s often necessary. After another negotiation, Mattie secures his services to search for Tom Chaney (Brolin), her father’s killer.

The other main character is LaBoeuf (Damon), a Texas Ranger who has been tracking Chaney for another crime. He wants to team up with Cogburn as both have the same goal, but they are unable to convince Mattie to stay behind and the trio end up together.

The dialogue doesn’t follow that of traditional Westerns. The characters are generally well-spoken and intelligent and don’t use contractions. This has the effect of making the dialogue sound formal and more important. Some of the accents are thick, but you’ll soon get used to it.

After an argument with Cogburn, LaBoeuf departs and leaves Cogburn and Mattie to fend for themselves. They look for shelter and find a shack occupied by two men. Cogburn finds out some valuable information to aid the search and learns that Chaney has joined a gang which is due to arrive at the shack. Cogburn and Mattie hide and wait for them to show up.

LaBoeuf later rejoins the pair and the main action occurs when the trio meets the gang. Mattie proves her worth and both Cogburn and LaBoeuf have important parts to play in the conflict. Cogburn is not always drunk and proves very capable when the situation calls for it.

While not as quirky as other Coen films, True Grit contains plenty of humor. The dialogue is fast and the wits of the main characters are sharp. Each has some memorable lines. There isn’t a huge amount of action. It’s more about the setup and the dynamic between the trio. We see more of the journey than the eventual confrontation. It has the effect of making the story well-rounded and there’s enough background information for us to feel like we know the characters by the end of the movie.

The conclusion jumps forward 25 years and we are shown what happens to the characters. It's a good way to end the story.

Video Quality 5/5

The Texas and New Mexico locations look stunning in this presentation and colors are bright and well-defined. Fine detail is exceptional and you can clearly pick out patterns in the dirt and see individual pieces of straw. Grain is barely visible in the majority of scenes, but there’s no loss of detail. Paramount has delivered a wonderful transfer and I can’t think of a better-looking live action movie.

Audio Quality 5/5

The DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 track also shines. Whether it’s horses galloping, insects, wind or gunfire, everything sounds the way it should. What really impresses me is the depth of sound in quieter scenes. There is so much detail. The excellent dialogue is well-defined and there’s nothing to fault in the audio presentation.

Special Features 3/5

There are just over an hour of additional features on the release and all are in full HD:

Mattie’s True Grit (5:13) – Telling the story of Steinfeld’s audition, her preparation for the role and working with the Coen brothers.

From Bustles to Buckskin – Dressing for the 1880s (8:02) – Interviews with the costume designer and some of the cast.

Colts, Winchesters & Remingtons: The Guns of a Post-Civil War Western (4:41) – Explaining the choice of guns used by the main trio.

Re-Creating Fort Smith (11:20) – Showing how the set was put together.

The Cast (5:25) – Interviews with Bridges, Damon, Steinfeld, Brolin and Barry Pepper.

Charles Portis - The Greatest Writer You've Never Heard Of (30:54) – An extensive look at the career of writer Charles Portis.

Cinematography (2:57) – Roger Deakins talks about some of the shots in the movie.

Trailer (2:33)

There should be an Oscar for best Blu-ray presentation. True Grit would certainly be nominated. If you’re a fan of the film, you’ll be delighted with the whole package. The crew researched the time period thoroughly and the result feels authentic. I would recommend this even if you’re not a fan of the genre.

Overall score 4.5/5

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