Rango is the story of a lizard. I'm not herpetologist (that's a real word!) but his eyes look like a chameleon to me, and he sort of changes color a little bit two times. So, let's bank on this metaphor of Rango being a chameleon, ok? Trust me, it works perfectly. And while this movie is a pretty fun time, it gives the impression that it was assembled with very specific building blocks. Amidst the capers, and action, and even a romance (with lizard kissing, errr???) there are loads and loads of allusions and references to other works, as if the director and writer wanted to build a new tower from chunks of existing content.
Rango the lizard has a very loose sense of identity. He seems not to know who he is, and instead seems to blend in with his surroundings. Like a chameleon. He is voiced by Johnny Depp and I think this is my favorite Johnny Depp movie, if only because I don't have to look at him and - as much as it pains me - the voice acting is incredibly diverse and dexterous. You really could imagine that it is not Johnny Depp at all. I think that's a good thing, but fan or no fan, Rango is given a huge expressive range, so hat's off to old eddie scissorhands!
The action starts with a traffic accident. Rango is literally thrown from his normal life and is informed by a wise old armadillo that he must wander into the desert. Yes, the identity crisis lizard is going to the desert seeking himself. Also, he is wearing a Hawaiian shirt just like Johnny Depp's portrayal of Hunter S. Thompson in "Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas."
This is not a subtle movie.
There are bad guys and good guys, and scenes and even a plotline that call back to several movies, including several classic and spaghetti Westerns, Mad Max:Fury Road, one of the Star Wars prequels, and even Chinatown. On top of this, the plot ticks the boxes of nearly every element of Joseph Campbell's Hero's Journey. Campbell's work on myths argued that most stories have similar elements where a regular-ish person is cast from normal life and sent on a quest where a lot of things need to be overcome and there are plenty of other characters serving well-known roles.
If spotting references and touchpoints of Campbell's theory are your thing, Rango has you covered. If fun, fairly light-hearted animated movies are your thing, Rango's got you there, too. The CGI animation generally is excellent, and some scenes are executed with a degree of atmospherics that very nearly trick the eye into thinking you are watching a live action lizard posse (as one example). If watching lizards make out is your thing, I am sure there is a therapy for you, but even there Rango has you covered.
Don't expect a masterpiece or a life-changing experience, but do expect to be entertained.
Rating: 6.5/10 - worth watching