Review: “The Lone Ranger” Blu-ray rides home as Johnny Depp takes backseat to title star in interesting extras

in Disney, Entertainment, Movies

It’s no secret that “The Lone Ranger” didn’t do well for
Disney at the box office. But the film itself cannot and should not be blamed. It’s a fun western flick that’s light-hearted at times while still deadly serious in some scenes, providing a nice balance of comedy, adventure and action.

Now available on Blu-ray and DVD, “The Lone Ranger” home release offers a version of the film that looks and sounds great. Watching this western on small(er) home screens than in theaters instantly gives the movie a classic western feel, with muted shades of reds and browns sharing the same space as many John Wayne favorites. But with a few modern twists and today’s technology, the Blu-ray release allows for an even better look at the gunslinging and horse riding.

Surprisingly, despite much fuss raised around Johnny Depp playing Native American sidekick Tonto, Depp barely appears at all in the release’s extra features. There’s one following title star Armie Hammer’s journey across the country while filming the movie. He comes off as just a regular guy documenting an adventure through the United States’ remaining wildernesses – who also just happens to be making a big budget Hollywood film. The Blu-ray extras are quick to show the cooperation of Native American tribes, as the cast and crew always seemed to respect their land and traditions while seeking their input.

A making-of featurette reveals just how much of the film was achieved through practical effects, including impressively constructing a few massive working trains (and their corresponding tracks) as well as dangling the film’s lead stars off the side of them while traveling at high speeds. Though there are some computer enhancements to be found in “The Lone Ranger,” they were used as sparingly as possible to successfully achieve a rough, realistic western feel.

The release also includes an amusing blooper real edited like a movie trailer gone wrong.

The limited extras may leave fans of the film wanting more, as they can easily all be watched in one sitting. But those who haven’t even bothered to see the film due to its poor box office performance should give it a shot now that it’s available at home. It’s far from perfect, but definitely entertaining.

“The Lone Ranger” is available now on Blu-ray and DVD from Amazon and other major retailers.

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