Quartile rating: 6/10 · 2 ratings
The Texas Rangers chase down a gang of outlaws led by Butch Cavendish, but the gang ambushes the Rangers, seemingly killing them all. One survivor is found, however, by an American Indian named Tonto, who nurses him back to health. The Ranger, donning a mask and riding a white stallion named Silver, teams up with Tonto to bring the unscrupulous gang and others of that ilk to justice.
The Lone Ranger (2013) is a bloated, tonally inconsistent revival of the classic property. The plot meanders through a two-and-a-half-hour runtime with convoluted twists and an overlong framing device. Depp's Tonto performance drew controversy for cultural insensitivity and feels like a quirky reprise of Jack Sparrow, while Armie Hammer struggles to carry the lead role with charisma. Gore Verbinski brings competent large-scale cinematography and some inventive action sequences — particularly the finale train chase — but the film is largely derivative of Pirates of the Caribbean's formula applied to a Western setting. The ending leans on fan-service nostalgia with the William Tell Overture but the preceding narrative doesn't earn it.