I was really surprised with Rango. I went into it thinking it was going to be a typical silly film for children but ended up loving it. This film had all the elements you need for a good film and I can safely say that it could possibly be one of my favourite animated films of all time.
First and foremost, the plot is centered around a chameleon who has been stranded on a highway and wanders into a strange town. He assumes a heroic role and becomes the sheriff of the town and begins to solve a water shortage crisis. Detailing the plot like this isn’t nearly as exciting as the story itself. It unfolds and unfurls very carefully to the audience and paces itself throughout. The film doesn’t drag on and on, instead it tells you everything you need to know, as you need to know it and is successful in the way that this is done.
Secondly, I have to comment on the animation. I remember seeing the teaser trailer for Rango and being blown away. It was nonsensical and bizarre, didn’t tell you anything about the film at all, and was a bit of a waste of time, but the animation was incredible. When the theatrical trailer was released, I was far more impressed. The animation studio at Nickelodeon had done everything right. The characters were just stylized enough without being over the top, but technically speaking the lighting, shadows, movements, every subtle detail that would make the world look more believable was done so perfectly that I believe it has set the bar much higher than it has ever been.
This is not to detract from the impact and abilities over at Pixar - what they do it obviously outstanding, but the ways they have chosen to create their fictional worlds is far different than that of Rango. Pixar films tend to be over-stylized, every character having something that detracts from the “believability” of the overall scene - fish in Finding Nemo, toys in Toy Story, monsters in Monster’s Inc., etc. These are then made to look even more cartoonish in their presentation by overemphasizing certain body parts such as the eyes, making them look more human than animal. Rango had animals that looked like animals. The eyes and proportions of the designs were believable and genuinely amazing.
The way the characters have been captured is also very believable. There are so many subtleties to the movement of the characters that makes them appear to be even more real than they already are. I don’t believe any other animated family film has captured body language in this way. Every small movement, twitch, shake - anything that would lead to a more realistic portrayal has been captured and makes this film even more impressive.
This film has definitely set the bar very high for anything that has come after it. It’s a very exciting time for animated films like Rango, if studios can continue to pull off ventures like this, departing from what is typically considered acceptable for animated features - then we have some great films ahead of us.
Technically speaking, but also for sheer watchability - this film comes highly recommended.
Buy it on Amazon.ca:
Rango (Blu-Ray/DVD Combo Pack with Digital Copy)
Rango
