2013 Disney The Lone Ranger Review: Depp and Hammer - Praise or Shaft?

The Disney movie The Lone Ranger starring Johnny Depp and Armie Hammer opened in the summer 2013. The mere title stirs emotions and hopes in the hearts of those who remember the old black and white television series.  That is probably the first and foremost hurdle for the success of this movie to conquer.  Did it produce successful results?  This movie was long anticipated and Johnny Depp always draws a crowd.  Can a first run superhero movie steal the show from opening night?

I remember the original series starring Clayton Moore and Jay Silverheels of the Mohawk tribe.  To a young child they were the crest of Old West superheroes.  The Lone Ranger was the reason we mounted our broomstick with a plastic horse head.  They formed for us an assumed glory of the Old West that helped pave the way for how we viewed the world around us.  It gave us courage and a sense of justice.
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The Disney reincarnation of The Lone Ranger was a quaint cinematic production but hardly a credit to the original legend or memory of The Lone Ranger that most of us know and have come to love.  As stated at the top it is hard to compete with the foundation of a legend.  In order to view this film production objectively you must first strip any notions of the original series.  It is vital in order to prevent association disappointments between the new and old duo.  To go into the theater afresh is a task for any review.

From an objective standpoint there are some issues i'd like to address regarding this new rendition:

• I've always enjoyed Johnny Depp and consider him one of the most unique actors of our time.  Having said that, due to his popularity I don't believe he is a good match with Armie Hammer.  There is too great a "credit" divide between the two actors.  The movie title is The Lone Ranger and logic dictates that the primary focus should be on that character.  Don't get me wrong, Johnny Depp made an intriguing Tonto.  However, I believe he would've meshed better with a little more known actor like perhaps Viggo Mortensen.  Mortensen is not as credited as Depp in the public eye but given his role in the huge success of The Lord of the Rings he would have made a good fit.
• The credibility of the Ranger as a capable and knowledgeable crime fighter is seriously undermined in this new movie.  Agreed, a learning curve for any superhero needs to be employed through any movie series like Ironman or Thor, but aside from John Reid's brilliance in law he is cast as a complete moron in tact, courage and basic human relationship knowledge.  
• Silver, the white horse.  What's the deal with the horse?  Did the producers have such a lack of confidence in Depp and Hammer that they had to trump up the horse to not only superhero status but also a gravity-defying one?  I think the movie finally lost me when I saw Silver standing up on a tree limb.  A 500-pound horse walking on top of a burning and weak barn roof, maybe, but on a tree limb?  I get more pleasure watching Charlie the Unicorn.

I was not overly impressed with the 2013 release of The Lone Ranger from a legend standpoint.  However, from a Friday night movie flick standpoint I recommend the film.  It's not a badly produced film.  It'll get it's ratings but it far underscores what it could have been.  A better lead actor for Kimosabe, a firmer foundation for the actor to build on and a strong horse that doesn't stand on tree branches.

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Just remember - turn off all cell phones at the beginning of the movie and patron your concession regularly.  Enjoy!