THE LONE RANGER

US, 2013, 149 minutes, Colour.
Johnny Depp, Armie Hammer, Tom Wilkinson, William Fichtner, Ruth Wilson, Helena Bonham Carter, Barry Pepper.
Directed by Gore Verbinski.

‘What’s with the mask?’ is a question that recurs throughout this quite rollicking film. It is the question to the Lone Ranger, from goodies and baddies, Indians and Chinese, all wanting to know why John Reid is wearing this mask with his bright white hat.

After the press preview, many of the reviewers were agreeing that the 2 ½ hours had passed very quickly, especially for this kind of holiday adventure. They were in a good mood. It’s the kind of action show, with laughs, that extroverted audiences might applaud wildly.

Just as there have been films showing the origins of Batman and Superman, this is the film that shows us the origins of the lone ranger and his partnership with the Indian, Tonto. While the film can be described as rollicking, there are shifts of moods right throughout the film. At one moment, the film is spoofing aspects of the western genre. The next moment we’re wondering about the portrayal of the Indians, the history of the Native Americans, Johnny Depp portraying Tonto, and racist issues. But then we are back with the narrative, the humour, and quite some poking fun at white Americans and American stereotypes – while not forgetting the injustices to the Native Americans and their being used by unscrupulous tycoons to break the peace treaties..

The story opens in San Francisco in 1933, a carnival with an attraction showing pictures of the history of the American west. A little boy, wearing a Lone Ranger mask, goes into have a look and stops at the picture of ‘The Noble Savage in his Setting’. And there is a statue of the Indian, (a bit like A Night at the Museum) coming to life and having a conversation with the little boy, telling the story of the Lone Ranger. It is an aged Tonto. The screenplay keeps coming back to San Francisco and the little boy who keeps asking questions which Tonto doesn’t answer quite accurately some of the time, being accused of making up the story as he goes. And he definitely is. This is one of those ‘write the legend’ instead of ‘print the facts’ kind of story.

The film was made in New Mexico and the photography of the desert and the majestic mesas is most impressive. The recreation of the Texas Town of Colby, where, in 1869, the railroad is progressing through the Lone Star state, helps us feel at home in this west (as it does when the baddies start pursyinig the train and there is a shootup. The production company actually built some miles of rail for the filming of the period and there is the town itself, frontier style. There are farms along the river. There are mountains and caves for mining silver. So the production looks very good. And there is a rousing score by Hans Zimmer.

But, of course, it is a Johnny Depp film. Here he is working with director Gore Verbinski after his collaboration with him for the Pirates of the Caribbean films. His Tonto is far more restrained and ironically witty than his Jack Sparrow. He uses his eyes and body language for his comments on characters and events. There is also quite a lot of slapstick and a great deal of stunt work, action in trains, on top of trains, through trains, horse riding, chases and shootouts.

John Reid, who becomes the Lone Ranger, is a city DA travelling with a group of Presbyterians to the west, studying the rules of government treatise of John Locke. And he is against guns. But as an ultra-serious lawman, he intervenes where prudence would offer some restraint, coming into conflict with the very evil and evil-looking villain, Butch, played by William Fichtner who has done many villains but excels as this one. Mean-looking, mean-acting. And their plenty of sequences to show how he can act in the most dastardly manner.

Armie Hammer, who starred in The Social Network and Mirror, Mirror, is a straight up and down hero who is moved towards justice, tries to control himself against violence, partners Tonto and is led to an ambiguous revenge narrative. This performance won’t do Armie Hammer’s career any harm.

The producers bring in British support with Tom Wilkinson as the evil corporate villain, Ruth Wilson as the wife and love interest, Helena Bonham Carter as a Red, the manager of the local saloon.

As the film goes on, the heroics become rather incredible, and even the military coming in led by Barry Pepper. But it all builds up to a huge confrontation, two trains, a large wooden bridge which is set with dynamite, horse pursuits, riding on top of carriages, and a whole lot of derring-do. And this is all set (at last one might think), to the Lone Ranger theme, a loud and vital rendition of the William Tell Overture.

The little boy goes home from the museum satisfied enough while we are more than set of satisfied and watch the aged Tonto, during the final credits, walk into the far distance.(For movie buffs this may be a tribute to Abbas Kierostami and the ending of Through the Olive Trees!). And, should there be a sequel, why not?


1. A popular entertainment? The origins of the Lone Ranger and tonto? The original radio programs, films?

2. The intention of the film-makers? Serious? Comic? A ‘print the legend’ film? Saga, parody? Everybody asking, ‘what’s with the mask?’?

3. The pace of the film, treatment of the issues? History? Politics? Relationship with the Native Americans? The treaties, the breaking of the treaties? The manipulation of the treaties by corporation millionaires?

4. The locations, the Mesas, Death Valley, the town of Colby, the railroad, building the railroad, the mountains, the rivers, the mines, the desert?

5. The musical score, rousing? The use of the William Tell Overture for the Lone Ranger? Especially in the climax?

6. American rail, the trains, the tracks, the station, working on the railroad? The action within the trains, on the trains, the camera work and stunts?

7. The prologue, 1933, the device of the boy coming to the San Francisco exhibition, with his mask, Tonto coming alive? Tonto and his story, an old man, interacting with the boy, the film continually coming back to San Francisco, the boy challenging, Tonto and altering his story?

8. The initial bank robbery, the Lone Ranger and Tonto? Tonto contradicting himself, later taking up this part of the story?

9. On the train, the Presbyterians, their religious fervour, the singing? John Reid and his reading John Locke on government? Tonto and Butch in chains? Getting free? John and his suspicions, going the length of the train, with Butch and Tonto, roles reversed and their being tied? Chase, the release of Butch? The escape?

10. Cole, his speech, pride, the railroad, his investment, opening up the west? His wanting Butch captured?

11. The action on the train, and uncoupling the carriages, crashing through the station? John, meeting Dan, Rebecca and her son? The
background of the relationship between John and Rebecca?

12. The town of Colby, the saloon, the clients, the dancing girls? Red, proprietor, her artificial leg and the jokes about it? Her observing the situation, becoming involved at the end, people touching her leg, the gun?

13. The posse, Collins and his help, Dan relying on him, John going with the posse? The trap, Collins’ disappearance, betrayal? Tonto and his observing, the white horse, the sing of a hero? The shootout, the deaths, Tonto burying the men, John still alive? Tonto seeing him as the hero? John’s reluctance?

14. Tonto, his Indian status, Comanche, on his own? The flashbacks to his story, as a boy, information about the silver, the gift of the watch? His still having the watch?

15. Rebecca, the news of her husband’s death, her son? Going to the farm, the African-American? helping her? The attacks, Butch and the capturing of mother and son? The attacks made as if to look like Indian attacks? John and Tonto, their search for Rebecca, following the leads, and making mistakes?

16. Cole, making advances on Rebecca, looking after her son? The revelation of the reality that he was Butch’s brother, the initial search for silver, organising Butch’s attacks?

17. John, his recovery, not wanting to be the Lone Ranger, his principles, not using guns? His destiny? The mask coming from his brother and the bullet holes, his wearing it? The variety of encounters and people asking him about it? The mission of revenge, but with justice? The pursuit of the killers, the Indians capturing them, burying them up to the necks? The white riders riding over them? John and his getting the horse to helping out, coming back for Tonto?

18. Tracking to the silver mine? The Chinese working? Confrontations? Tonto going into the mine, the vehicle coming out, the fear of gas, the explosions?

19. Tonto, his character, expressions, body language, irony, his comments, as Indian, has companion?

20. Cole, the board, his speech, the takeover, shooting the member of the board? His plan with Butch? Butch in the train?

21. The build-up to the finale, the train, Rebecca and her son, the carriages of silver? John and his involvement? His being captured, about to be executed, his escape?

22. The role of the military, the coming to the aid of Cole, the officer, his being on the side of the corporation, the capture of John, almost execution, the fight and his being seen in action?

23. The finale with the train, the camera work, the stunt work, within the train, on the train, on and off the train? The different tracks? The separation of the train? Tunnels? The bridge with the dynamite?

24. Butch, the cannibal, his viciousness, his being tricked, the final fight, his death? Cole and his comeuppance?

25. The final stabilising of Colby, the railroad, the new corporation owner, the people of the town?

26. And Tonto’s final long walk during the credits?