Lone Ranger Is Getting Panned

[ctc]

Hmmmm....

Here's a positive review:

http://www.toplessrobot.com/2013/07/fanboy_flick_pick_the_lone_ranger_a_tone_stranger.php

Don C.

[Brazoo]

I think the Lone Ranger character suffers from perceptional issues. You have generations of people who have a general idea of who he is. But really only one live portrayal has taken hold in all this time and that's by Clayton Moore in the 50's. Yes, kids grew up watching the cartoon in the 70's. And there was a brief attempt to revitalize him to film which flopped badly in the early 80's. But the character has remained dormant for such a long time, there has never been any true gauge on what people want (or don't want) from those treatments for a modern interpretation. What do you keep as relevant and discard as too "yester-year"? I think critics went in with their own ideas and that's why you're getting these reactions. I've enjoyed the trailers and I'm not so married to the Clayton years that I can't look through a different scope to see him in a new light. The fact that critics don't like it actually has me encouraged!

Honestly, I don't think anyone thinks that much about The Lone Ranger one way or the other - except for you guys. I really don't know anything about The Lone Ranger apart from clips I've seen of the old serials. I actually know him more through the countless parodies. The only appeal the character has for me is that he's iconic looking and kinda quaint.


I think if reviewers are being bias by going in with preconceived notions, it's that they're sitting through ANOTHER directionless A-typical summer dumbfest that's been drizzled with money, cheesy effects, and features Johnny Depp mugging and going hog wild for 2 1/2 hours.

[Bronxboykev]

I could care less what they think. The Lone Ranger is going to actually get my father into a movie theater for the first time in years. I have Friday off, so me, him and my kids are going to go see it. I think we'll have fun with it.

Chris

Love it!!! Dad's day Awesome... Enjoy the day and the company! and take the film for what it is entertainment

[MIB41]

I think the Lone Ranger character suffers from perceptional issues. You have generations of people who have a general idea of who he is. But really only one live portrayal has taken hold in all this time and that's by Clayton Moore in the 50's. Yes, kids grew up watching the cartoon in the 70's. And there was a brief attempt to revitalize him to film which flopped badly in the early 80's. But the character has remained dormant for such a long time, there has never been any true gauge on what people want (or don't want) from those treatments for a modern interpretation. What do you keep as relevant and discard as too "yester-year"? I think critics went in with their own ideas and that's why you're getting these reactions. I've enjoyed the trailers and I'm not so married to the Clayton years that I can't look through a different scope to see him in a new light. The fact that critics don't like it actually has me encouraged!

[Brazoo]

Lone Ranger hasn't had a feature film since 1981 and IIRC the critics hated that one too. Most of them weren't too thrilled with the original SW trilogy, either.

I know Lucas likes to say that about the Star Wars movies, but it makes no sense for him to say that. All three were universally praised. There were a few critics who didn't love Star Wars, notably Pauline Kael, but she certainly didn't pan it, if you read her review. Star Wars even won the LA Critics Association "Best Picture" award.

If anything Jedi was generally liked, but a little less loved than the other two - but that actually follows what fans generally think as well.

[johnmiic]

I'm going to see it-first showing today. I have no expectations except it be fun. And that's all I'm hoping for.

[Bionicfanboy66]

Lone Ranger hasn't had a feature film since 1981 and IIRC the critics hated that one too. Most of them weren't too thrilled with the original SW trilogy, either.

[Nostalgiabuff]

I like Depp. for the record I liked Dark Shadows too. i never watched the show so i had no expectations. Lone Ranger has been around so long we all have some idea of what it shoudl be, but today's kids have no idea who the character is. I think the movie will do well and I think it is probably a decent, if not downright good movie. don't slam it until you see it.
anyone remember John Carter? the studio had no idea how to market the movie, the previews did not show what the movie was and it was actually a good movie. I expect the same with LR

[Zemo]

Wasn't the whole concept about the movie, basically Johnny Depps?, From what I've read that he was the one that pushed for Tonto being more of a leader that a servant. Is the over the top dress not pictured in Indian dress?

[johnmiic]

It seems to me The Lone Ranger is following the Buddy Cop Film formula. It doesn't mean it's going to be slapstick. I don't think they have applied the Buddy Cop Film formula to Lone Ranger before and it could work in the films favor.

[spacecaps]

I'm probably in the minority here but I liked Pirates,I like Depp and I'm looking forward to this film...LOL
I love the original Lone Ranger films but I mean seriously have you ever watched them?
They are camp beyond belief.The Lone Rangers disguises were ridiculous,Tonto sounded like a buffoon.
The stories were pretty routine and predictable so I'm not really sure what people are truly expecting here?...LOL

Well that's nostalgia for ya. Those are the same reasons I think back fondly on the Gi Joe and Transformers cartoons. Watching them today sometimes borders on the idiotic and yet when the movies came out, I'm not sure what I was expecting. My go to line when ever I see a bad movie is, "They can make that but they can't make a He-man movie." I never really thought about what kind of a He-man movie would be made today but I'm pretty sure it won't be the one I have in my head (which is something along the lines of a Lord Of The Rings quest type trilogy seeped in medieval times lore with sci-fi technology that focuses on the MASTERS OF THE UNIVERSE, not just He-man.) but that's not what'll get made. I certainly don't want the Filmation cartoon verbatim and I don't want anything close to the live action movie, and if it's anything like Transformers or GI Joe the movie, I'd rather not have it be made at all. So really, I'm looking at a million to one shot that the dusty old relic turned into a modern day movie is going to be something I enjoy. What's funny is that these are the exact reasons I'd rather not see a new Ghostbusters.

It's the anticipation of the thing that drives the interest, not the thing itself which is why I think more often than not, the move trailer turns out to be better than the actual movie. I thought the half-in-the-bag guys made a great point when they reviewed Man Of Steel and that is the movie was perfect for trailers. All the expository dialogue and the action scenes made for great previews but when viewed in the confines of a two hour narrative, it didn't work. But the hype for that movie (and all movies of this kind) was all you needed to get people to see it. No one waited two weeks to see what the rest of the people thought about it. Everyone went the first week to see it for themselves because we were bombarded with images from the film for over a year and the anticipation grew until we HAD to see it. It's like a kid who tears through his presents on Christmas morning looking for the next thing to open, it's not about what's in the box, it's about getting the box itself.

[Brazoo]

It should be against the Law for Movie Critics to Bash a Movie, till its been in Theaters for 2 Weeks. It's Wrong.

I think you're kidding, but just in case: the critics don't control when the studios show movies to them, the studios do. They usually hold early screenings specifically for the critics.

[Brazoo]

"The Lone Ranger" may not be the movie we want, but it's the movie we deserve.

True.

For anyone interested:

Seth Rogan and Even Goldberg were recently on the podcast Marc Maron's W-T-F and gave a brief but (I think) honest account of where things went off the rails for "The Green Hornet".

The most interesting things to me were that they claimed:

1) The studio let them do whatever they wanted for the action scenes, but were very hands on about the character development.

2) The studio wanted to make a GOOD movie - they never got the idea that everyone wasn't trying their best - and they even claimed that they found the studio exec's suggestions helpful.

3) Both the studio and the creative team knew there was something not quite right about the movie, but the audience preview scores were off the charts positive. It was very hard for anyone to justify putting money into reshoots or re-editis after getting high preview scores - so they released it in a weird month and took a shot.

NOT ONCE was there any sentiment about "being true to the original source material" mentioned. It didn't seem important to Rogan/Goldberg OR the studio. To my point of view, the only people who care about that is YOU guys, and you guys only count for a very small piece of the pie. I think to the studios/producers and filmmakers the source material is just brand recognition they need to get a movie funded.

To be honest, that's why I'm often confused about why you guys all get so excited about these movies. I'm not saying you guys shouldn't get excited and enjoy them - I just don't usually get why you do.

[fallensaviour]

I'm probably in the minority here but I liked Pirates,I like Depp and I'm looking forward to this film...LOL
I love the original Lone Ranger films but I mean seriously have you ever watched them?
They are camp beyond belief.The Lone Rangers disguises were ridiculous,Tonto sounded like a buffoon.
The stories were pretty routine and predictable so I'm not really sure what people are truly expecting here?...LOL

[BlackKnight]

It should be against the Law for Movie Critics to Bash a Movie, till its been in Theaters for 2 Weeks. It's Wrong.