It has been a long, long time since the Lone Ranger has been back on the big screen.  Thanks to Disney though, we are now graced with a new version starring Armie Hammer and Johnny Depp.  Gore Verbinski directed and it’s a big movie with an epic scope to it.  What most critics and most of the viewing public probably don’t understand in my estimation it that it is not a serious film, nor was it ever meant to be so.

So what is it then, what was it aiming for?  Fun.  I think it was just meant to be a fun film.  A film you can go see on a Saturday afternoon with the kids or the girlfriend or even by yourself.  And it was fun.

Sure, the movie is long, all two hours and thirty-nine or so minutes of it, but what movie isn’t a bit large these days.  People like long movies.  I like long movies.  I think it would be awesome if they started putting overtures and intermissions back into large films.  Make them even longer!

Armie Hammer did a bang-up job playing the Lone Ranger.  I hope there are sequels and I hope he is back to play the titular character.  The same goes for Depp.  Perhaps he is playing just another version of the same character he has played in many other films – but he does a tremendous job.  And he’s funny.  They’re both funny and the film is funny too.

It’s an action film with some comedy and drama sprinkled throughout and more importantly it is a good, fun time at the cinema.  Long live the Lone Ranger!

4 out of 5