There are a couple of actors in this world (and by a couple, I mean two), who I follow avidly and with complete love. If I see that they’re going to be in a movie, no matter what that movie is, I go see it. Even if it’s not exactly my kind of movie. Even if it’s completely the opposite of my kind of movie. I will literally see anything that these two are in.
Who might they be? you ask.
Christian Bale and Johnny Depp (oh, how my heart did beat when Public Enemies came out, I nearly died of glee in the theater). This is, unfortunately, not geared toward Mr Bale, though he should know that it doesn’t mean I love him any less than I love Mr Depp.
Why do I love these two so much?
Please, sit back and let me tell you.
These two actors have such vast and varied acting histories, and every single thing that they have each been in, they have taken their roles to heart. They have become the characters that they are cast as. One is no longer watching Mr Depp (or Mr Bale) As Such And Such Character. No. One is watching Such And Such Character come to life. They encompass their roles while simultaneously wrapping the role around themselves. A feat not often even attempted. To become so completely the character that your are playing is not easy. These two men do it constantly. They have a dedication and a drive that I admire. A commitment to the thing that they are doing so deep that it can actually be seen.
Once I’ve begun whatever movie I’m watching, at no point during it do I think about the actor when it’s one of these two. They don’t take you out of the moment, they don’t ruin anything by sliding in an uncharacteristic trademark that they demand be in just because it’s “that thing they do”.
They are not, by any means, the only two actors in the world that can achieve this. Nor are they alone in that they manage to achieve this time and time again. But they are my favorites. They are the only ones that I will sit through movies I wouldn’t normally watch for.
All of this brings me around, in a very long winded manner, to what this post is really about. Which is the movie Rango. Which I probably would have gone to see even if it hadn’t had Depp involved, because it had to do with a chameleon and the ‘old west’. But since it also included Johnny Depp, well, I just couldn’t resist, could I?
Now, the thing about this movie is, it’s touted as a children’s movie, and I just don’t think that I’d let a kid watch it. Probably not one under the age of 13, anyway. It’s got some pretty serious moments in it, some crude humor, and a good deal of violence that the younger set just shouldn’t be exposed to. In my opinion. What it does make for, though, is a pretty fucking fantastic movie. All these elements are things I enjoy quite a bit. So of course I was pleased as punch to see them included.
I feel like this was more along the lines of an animated film made for the older crowd. I know there are plenty of cartoons out there that slip in jokes for the parents and whatnot, but this was well and truly not something that I would take a kid to see.
There was a lot of enjoyment on my part when Rattlesnake Jake made his appearance. And the owl Mariachi band brought me no small amount of glee. But the lynchpin of this operation was, I’m sure you can guess what I’m going to say, Depp. He made the character of Rango really come to life for me. It took me no time at all to slip into the idea that I was not hearing Johnny Depp voice the character of a chameleon, but that I was hearing a chameleon’s voice. This is really no easy task. I’m pretty good with associating voices with actors. The Toy Story franchise is a favorite of mine, but at no time do I ever forget who I’m listening to. So to be able to watch Rango and get lost in it was special.
I have watched this movie several times in the short span that I had it, and I will watch it several more times as soon as I purchase it. I’m sure I’ll watch it several times the day of purchase, in fact. That’s how much I enjoyed it.
