The Lone Ranger: 8/10

So if it looks like a Western, feels like a Western, sounds like a Western, and paces like a Western.....

Then it must be a Western, right? So why is it getting so much slack for being a new-age spaghetti western? Yes The Lone Ranger is a mess. Yes it has an extremely poor script. And yes, it definitely has some jarring tonal shifts. However this movie is still entertaining, still beautifully and skillfully directed by mild-indie-at-heart Gore Verbinski, and still has some great performances that add life to a script that has no clue where it wants to go. In the midst of the bloated budget and issues lies a decent movie that will indeed keep you on your toes.

There are many theories I have towards why everyone is panning this film: it could be the Johnny Depp/Disney overkill we have seen this past decade, it could be that Westerns don't have the appeal that they used to, and lastly it might be the anti-American taint that viewers might get out of the movie. Whatever the reason, The Lone Ranger might be a film that will be dissected for years to come simply because it is a breathing contradiction in so many ways.

It runs as both a homage to Westerns (There are nods to John Ford and Sergio Leone classics) while also becoming an anti-Western that disassembles the stereotypes and misconceptions of the Wild West (Similar to what Unforgiven did in the 90s). The movie can be quite comical, but also deathly serious not too long before and not too long after. The movie poses as a pure Western at times, while at other times throwing some major supernatural elements for good measure. And lastly it can play like a kid's fantasy, while at the same time it throws some heavy undertones about race, class, and Manifest Destiny.

The biggest reason for the quality of this origin story is the incredible direction by Gore Verbinski. Verbinski, whether you love him or hate him, can take any terrible script and can craft some magic out of it. The Mexican, At World's End, and The Lone Ranger are great examples of terrible scripts being saved because of Verbinski's attention to detail, ability to carve a great action sequence, and ability to always have a slight indie edge over the typical Hollywood director. Love or hate Johnny Depp, he still breathes layers of life and personality to the usually one-note partner Tonto. Artie Hammer, despite awkwardly being second banana despite being the main character, excels as the famed hero with the smaller dosage of material given.

Just like your average blockbuster, if you can stomach some of the setbacks then you will have a good time. With the Lone Ranger it takes longer for the movie to take off, but once it does you will marvel at the cinematography, laugh at Depp and Hammer's chemistry (and hidden visual humor), and get blown away by the final action sequence that will stand as the most creative you'll see all summer.

The Lone Ranger is what happens when you try to mix a Western with a blockbuster personality—it's a tough oil/water mix but it still works thanks to the creative and potentially bizarre Western-loving mind of Gore Verbinski.