The Lone Ranger (2013)

The story of a masked man and his Indian companion as they look to find themselves in the early days of the Wild West.

The retelling of the classic tale of the Lone Ranger and his trusted side kick Tonto, all told to a little boy through the ancient memories of the great warrior. When John Reid returns to his small home town of Colby to practice law, little does he know he will be drawn into a web of suspense and intrigue that will make him question everything for which he stands.

Together with his "Magical" steed "Silver" and his trusty companion "Tonto", he will risk life and limb to avenge the murder of his brother and bring down the bloodthirsty gang leader "Butch Cavendish".

Legendary Director Gore Verbinsky, the genius behind the "Pirates of the Caribbean" and most recently "Rango", now turns his attention to a rather more well known story, bringing to the big screen "The Lone Ranger" and his companion "Tonto". He does a fairly decent job on this film; one which could have gone either way with his audience over the age of 35 who remember the classic series.

Johnny Depp does a great job in the role of both the Aged and Youthful, "Tonto", bringing a comedic element to the film which keeps it rolling nicely, with a laugh here and there as the action continues unabated. Once more Depp moves slightly further away from his iconic "Captain Jack Sparrow", but never strays too far from the core character which has elevated his star to the very top of his profession. His portrayal of "Tonto" is enjoyable and he makes the character a lot more fun that one might have expected.

Armie Hammer returns to the big screen for the first time since donning his tights as "Prince Alcott" in "Mirror Mirror", this time taking a far more serious role as "John Reid" and "The Lone Ranger". He gives a decent performance, showing a good amount of versatility which may leave the audience wondering what is next for this talented actor. His vengeful, yet contained portrayal of the much loved law man is worth the admission fee alone, but you do wonder if he could have brought a bit more manliness which the role demanded?

William Fitchner seems to be at the very peak of his career, rolling out one film after the next. Hot on the heels of his showing as "John Carlyle" in Elysium with Jodie Foster and Matt Damon, he plays a far more darker character in the form of the ruthless killer "Butch Cavendish". Fitchner brings style and panache to a difficult character, combining the "Devil May Care" attitude along with the cold and calculating ruthlessness of a career criminal. He truly is the highlight of the film for me and his sinister portrayal mixes well with the comedy from Depp and Hammer.

British veteran Tom Wilkinson is excellent as "Latham Cole", the ruthless railway company boss, who will stop at nothing to achieve the goals which he has set for his transport conglomerate. Helena Bonham Carter once again gives a great performance as the Madam "Red Harrington", her ivory leg and dark cynicism, always good for a few laughs. Ruth Wilson does well as the love interest "Rebecca Reid" and this should prove a useful step in moving her from a TV career and onto the big time.

The film, as a standalone piece,  is a good bit of cinema, but for those of us who grew up with the original series, it seems to pale slightly.  The action is good, but is fine for all of the family, while the story carries on at a decent pace, but will never really have you on the edge of your seat. The combination of Depp and Hammer is a good one and would be interesting to see again. Worth a watch.

6/10