It wasn't hard to outdo the preachy contrived plot of the 2003 Ranger movie, but this one took a step beyond to become a mainstay.
First, it is an adventure film, a Western adventure. The Lone Ranger is a mystique character, and part of the challenge is that he tries to bring men to justice alive. Same for Superman. If they didn't have this challenge, they would have no conflict whatsoever. It makes for a puzzle.
Tonto takes center stage here, but unlike the 2003 disaster, he is a character instead of a symbol of a godlike race. Here, no favorites are played. The most evil ones in this story are a pair of white men, and other white men they enlist, but we aren't given sermons about this.
Depp is great as Tonto. The museum scenes are a bit too much for me, but it is good for the kids. The out of sequence bits work, partly because they aren't emphasized too much. Depp, as Tonto, craftily plays this with a subtle humor, and that is just what is needed for this.
There is the magic and mystique of the Ranger, but also an explanation given for it, as "Nature out of balance". We are dealing with a supernatural chain of events which do allow the Lone Ranger to ride a horse through and on top of railroad cars.
Great blend of humor and adventure, and at the same time a crafty blend of Shakespeare and Indiana Jones. This is better than what meets the eye, and what meets the eye is extra special in itself, with plenty of eye candy for men and women.
