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The Lone Ranger

bionicbob

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So with its release date about a week away, is anyone actually excited for this movie?

As a lover of classic old time pulp heroes, in my heart of hearts, I sooooooooo want this movie to be good. But my mind is already preparing me for a disappointment of epic proportions.

I noticed Disney has made a significant shift in its marketing campaign for this movie. The first couple of teaser/trailers the emphasis was on comedy and Johnny Depp's Tonto. Now, the latest trailers are much more dramatic, with the focus on Arnie Hammer's Ranger (what a crazy idea!!!) and Depp's Tonto has been greatly reduced, specifically his lines of dialogue.

Does Disney realize already that this film may bomb? In recent interviews, Bruckheimer seems to be already distancing himself from the project, saying that there are no immediate plans for a sequel? Say what? A mega summer blockbuster built around an iconic character, and there are no plans for a franchise? Who ya trying to fool?

I think it will be Depp's performance that will make or break this movie. And so far, from the little I have seen, his Tonto interpretation (not to mention his character's look) seems to be borderline racist stereotype. I am certain I am wrong about this, as Depp is an incredible and smart actor. But I am just commenting on what IT LOOKS LIKE from the few clips and trailers we have seen. But I am trying to keep an open mind.

What do you guys think????
 

Gaith

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I think it'll be the bomb of the summer, and a pretty mediocre flick to boot. I don't think I've been so underwhelmed by trailers for a movie I might want to see since Green Lantern. And that stuffed bird always on Depp's head just looks stupid, no two ways about it. I guess that, if even crap like On Stranger Tides can become a billion-dollar movie, and Alice in Wonderland makes a killing, no one at Disney's got the stones or authority to tell Depp not to do that. ;-)

The trouble with making Westerns colorful and zany-looking is that the actual look of the era is far more conducive to grim and serious stuff, a la True Grit, than POTC-style madcappery. After all, isn't Lone Ranger pretty much a Zorro ripoff, minus the romance of swordplay, and the vibrant colors of Latin culture? The Mask of Zorro had a pretty realistic art design, but the hacienda scenes were still plenty lively. And I'll take a dark yet mischievous avenger with a cape over a plain ol' masked cowboy any day. Also, one neat thing about the Pirates series is that, due to their locations, they can sort of feel like a tropical vacation. The dusty, arid look of this looks much closer to Prince of Persia and John Carter. And we all know how many sequels they got...

One could always go back to the woozy, psychedelic Western color schemes of the '50s (like how Doc dressed up Marty), but that'd take some serious brass, and they didn't do that, of course. Oh well... I continue to await a new Zorro. :p
 

bionicbob

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Nothing really interesting or revealing... but oh well....

 

Sunarep

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man... enthusiastic sounds different...

also: 2.5 hours? not really feeling the need to watch that movie
 

Metrostar

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Sunarep said:
2.5 hours

Why!?!? I am already depressed at the thought of it. Because I know that when I come out I am going to be thinking, someone needs to make that shorter. Why can't the producers make it shorter, instead of one of us!? Ugh!
 

bionicbob

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Just returned from watching and I can not remember the last time I left a movie so angry!:mad2:

This movie is a mess in terms of narrative tone. It seesaws from juvenile obvious silly humor to moments of extreme violence. Now, I like a good violent pic, but for a Disney picture, the level of killing shocked me! Especially since most of the deaths have no emotional consequence or impact. Entire massacres are intercut with slap stick humor.

There are a few good things in this disaster.... it looks spectacular! It is beautiful to look at... not since John Ford has Monument Valley looked so breathtaking. The Native American supernatural aspects were really interesting and I wish there was more of it. And scenes where they play the material straight and dramatic really work, but these are too few and too far in between.

I tired very quickly of Johnny Depp as Tonto. He seems to be playing the character as cross between Captain Jack and Buster Keaton. I mean I like the fresh spin of making it a Tonto story, but the interpretation of the character felt like Depp just recycling his Pirates schtick. As for Armie Hammer, I think he could have been good but the way he was directed to play the character annoyed me to no end.... he is not quite a buffoon, but he is so idealistically naive that it defies belief!

I just feel like there was absolutely no respect for the source material. All the classic traits of the Lone Ranger are mocked -- his unwillingness to kill, the shooting guns out of the badguys hands, even the icon "Hi yo Silver" is played as joke!!! When the big final act comes, and we finally experience the full William Tell Overture, instead of feeling like an inspirational hero moment, it feels like it is a parody. I felt insulted. And what bothered me even more, was the audience around me was howling with laughter and seemed to be really enjoying the movie.

I suppose if you have no connection or knowledge about the Lone Ranger, you would enjoy this movie. Myself, I feel like another childhood hero of mine has been disrespected and defiled for mass audience consumption.

I would much rather watch the 1981 Legend of the Lone Ranger than have to sit through this blasphemy again. Yes, Legend is a bad movie, but at least it respected the material and character. This move is pure horse sh#t! :p
 

baileym43

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bionicbob said:
And what bothered me even more, was the audience around me was howling with laughter and seemed to be really enjoying the movie.
first of all, i like your review. i know exactly where you're coming from and know exactly what you mean with the section i quoted there. lowest common denominator man. it's the same people who love honey booboo and duck dynasty. [edit note]
 

emanswfan

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Not surprising reaction from you bionicbob, I was suspicious since the first trailer. Good thing I avoided it. It sounds like you braced for a disappointment that was not nearly as bad as what you truly felt after this film.
 

MusicEd921

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bionicbob said:
Just returned from watching and I can not remember the last time I left a movie so angry!:mad2:

So after seeing this movie Bob, do you think it will be salvageable for us faneditors to take a crack at when it becomes readily available?
 

bionicbob

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musiced921 said:
So after seeing this movie Bob, do you think it will be salvageable for us faneditors to take a crack at when it becomes readily available?

I honestly don't think so.... you can not reshoot or redirect the actors on how they portrayed the characters. Maybe the tone can be evened out a bit.... but there is just so much that is wrong with this movie. I don't mind humor when it arises naturally, but in this movie I felt like the writers, producers and director were laughing AT the Lone Ranger, NOT laughing WITH him.

I have been stewing on this long and hard all night, the actual core script is pretty good and fairly faithful, it is just how it was interpreted for the screen. If the material had been played for drama not laughs, and someone other than Depp played Tonto, it might have been a decent movie.

Just an odd observation, but Tom Wilkenson appeared in this and the Green Hornet! The Green Hornet is the great grand nephew (Dan Reid) to the Lone Ranger. And recent Green Hornet movie is another absolute travesty interpretation of a classic pulp character.

Not surprising reaction from you bionicbob, I was suspicious since the first trailer. Good thing I avoided it. It sounds like you braced for a disappointment that was not nearly as bad as what you truly felt after this film.

Yeah, I thought I was ready for anything... boy, was I wrong. And yet, through the whole thing I kept hoping for a miracle, for some scene to redeem this movie..... instead, at the very end, the filmmakers decide to kick long time Ranger fans one more time in the nuts, with their cool modern sarcasm sneer of the most iconic catch phrase of all time. Seriously? Nothing was sacred in this movie. And not in a good way. No respect at all. The most infuriating movie experience I have had in a very long time.... maybe since the Green Hornet.... LOL! :x
 

revel911

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bionicbob, you and I are usually on similar interest so thank you for saving me money and time.
 

Nic

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I wasn't going to see this movie strictly 'cause I thought Johnny Depp was getting FAR too much work/screen time in films, so it feels good to know my hunches were right. Say Bob, this review sync up with your feelings in any way?

http://www.escapistmagazine.com/videos/view/escape-to-the-movies/7660-The-Lone-Ranger

Y'know, I might actually want to try and check out the original series just to see what I've been missing.
 

bionicbob

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Nic said:
Say Bob, this review sync up with your feelings in any way?

http://www.escapistmagazine.com/videos/view/escape-to-the-movies/7660-The-Lone-Ranger

Y'know, I might actually want to try and check out the original series just to see what I've been missing.


Yep, that is an excellent summary of my feelings.... except ANGRIER!!!! :lol:

This is really a mean spirited, sarcastic, condensing, disgrace to all Lone Ranger fans.

The old Clayton Moore series is a classic fun series, even though the plots are thin and predictable.

If you want to read the right way to modernize the Lone Ranger for a new generation, I highly recommend everyone reads the comic series published by Dynamite. The reboot by Brett Mathews and John Cassaday is sheer brilliance!
 

MusicEd921

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I just got them in the mail, but maybe taking a look at the 2 Clayton Moore Ranger features may make way to put a little more of an updated spin on them? Like messing around with some of the music or adding in/taking away stuff? Might be more fun than what I'm hearing about the Depp feature.
 

baileym43

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as far as Johnny Depp goes (though i agree with the above, i'll take jDepp getting work over james franco. at least johnny depp can act his way out of rocket science.)
but back to what i wanted to comment on. they have Tonto played by a non-indian. come on. now, i'm not all politically correct or anything (Travolta playing Edina in Hairspray was a brilliant nod to the stage production), but couldn't hollywood find a native american to play Tonto. he wouldn't even need to be from the same tribe as Tonto (if Tonto has a tribe), but at least his heritage would be there.
unless the idea was to be a tongue-in-cheek nod to the old westerns that had white guys in all the indian rolls. but i kinda doubt that is the reason. and nobody is raising a single mention of this. maybe because it's Johnny Depp and he can do no wrong.
(i haven't seen it yet. i don't go to the cinema to watch movies anymore. i'll watch it when it hits the home market.)
 

nOmArch

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Trailer looked awful, as people have mentioned Depp is Captain Tonto Sparrow, never liked the original, almost certainly will not be watching this other than at a mates house on DVD under duress.
 
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