The Lone Ranger (2013)

[SWillie!]

Yeah, I think the fact that it's a western is definitely working against it. That and Johnny Depp. Not the whole Indian issue, but just the fact that he's done so many of these kinds of parts - make-up, accents, crazy characters, etc - that people kind of seem to have a negative reaction to them at this point. "Here's Johnny Depp playing Johnny Depp again." I personally love them and I know he loves doing them as well, but I think it'd be smart for him to take a few years and do some more 'vanilla' parts. Stuff like Rum Diary, Finding Neverland, etc.

[Patrick]

At what point will the "Johnny Depp Draw" wear off?

He has played so many ridiculous and poor characters at this point it's crazy that he's still getting work to do them.

[SWillie!]

I think he's been great in everything he's been in, with the one exception of Dark Shadows last year. His character and the whole movie I thought were pretty dumb. But other than that, I don't think there's any question as to how he's getting work... he's an audience favorite. Jack Sparrow, Mad Hatter, Sweeney Todd, Edward Scissorhands, Willy Wonka (although I didn't like the movie, his portrayal of the character was great). What's not to love?

[Patrick]

I think he's been great in everything he's been in, with the one exception of Dark Shadows last year. His character and the whole movie I thought were pretty dumb. But other than that, I don't think there's any question as to how he's getting work... he's an audience favorite. Jack Sparrow, Mad Hatter, Sweeney Todd, Edward Scissorhands, Willy Wonka (although I didn't like the movie, his portrayal of the character was great). What's not to love?

Well that's what I'm asking - when does that draw wear off? I wish I could pinpoint my adversity towards Depp... I generally don't like his characters, and it annoys me that those are the only parts that define his career. Plus, this will be his.. what? sixth? movie with Disney? Maybe I'm just being a downer, he irks me.

[Elladorine]

Yeah, I think the fact that it's a western is definitely working against it. That and Johnny Depp. Not the whole Indian issue, but just the fact that he's done so many of these kinds of parts - make-up, accents, crazy characters, etc - that people kind of seem to have a negative reaction to them at this point. "Here's Johnny Depp playing Johnny Depp again." I personally love them and I know he loves doing them as well, but I think it'd be smart for him to take a few years and do some more 'vanilla' parts. Stuff like Rum Diary, Finding Neverland, etc.

I totally agree with you and UmbrellaFish. Modern audiences don't "get" westerns and don't seem to want to. Plus I've seen plenty of people groan that if they wanted to watch Jack Sparrow, they'd just pop in a Pirates movie rather than watch him repeat himself all over again.

As much as I've been defending the Native American issue, I don't have high hopes for this film, and in fact I definitely prefer a screening of Despicable Me over it. Like John Carter, this is probably just a rental for me.

[PatrickvD]

The reason Disney did the whole 'Native Americans love it and approve of Johnny in this roll'-press stuff is because they know how damn offensive it really is.

The movie looks like fun though to me. As for modern audiences not getting westerns, I agree. Though that laregly counts for movies that are truly westerns. This looks like Pirates in a different setting. Though I do trust Gore Verbinski (Rango is a true western) and I'm just guessing Disney is putting out misleading trailers to capture the Pirate fans' attention.

[Avaitor]

Honestly, this one looks like a role reversal of Jim Jarmusch's Dead Man, with Johnny Depp playing the Native American spirit guide instead of the lost white guy in this society. I wonder if I'm the only one who notices this.

[disneyboy20022]

This is cool

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wAMLWE7ec-E[/youtube]

[buffalobill]

Reviews at RT 13 positive 48 negative 21%. Also seen posts from some people who've seen advance screenings. Haven't heard a single good word about it. Looks like John Carter 2 for Disney. Going against Despicable Me with Monsters U & WWZ still going strong it's going to tank. If you have moviecash from DMR use 'em fast. This could have a VERY short theatrical run.

[disneyboy20022]

‘Lone Ranger’ Debuts To Disastrous $9.6M,
http://movies.yahoo.com/news/despicable ... 25932.html

Disney’s expensive The Lone Ranger (3,904 theaters) received a ‘B+’ CinemaScore from audiences who obviously disagreed with the lousy reviews given the movie by professional critics. So word of mouth may help this Western overcome its disastrous opening that underperformed for only $9.6M Wednesday. Rival studios say that means the Jerry Bruckheimer-branded tentpole may not even pass $45M for its first 5 days barring a miracle. This is way below even Disney’s lowball domestic projection of $65M which the studio today revised down to $43M-$43M. Exit polling showed the movie skewed 56% male and 66% age 25 and older while complaints pour in about its content. “A Disney film that may be seriously inappropriate for families is tough,” a rival studio mogul told me this morning. Now the two-quadrant actioner likely won’t cover its high $215M-$250M cost despite this holiday’s 4x multiple. One head-scratcher is where all that money went. Apparently to above the line costs like stars Johnny Depp and Armie Hammer and director Gore Verbinski and producer Bruckheimer and the 3 credited screenwriters Justin Haythe, Ted Elliott & Terry Rossio. Depp’s worldwide popularity may, repeat may, help overseas where oaters usually don’t excel. Lone Ranger opens day and date in 30% of the foreign landscape but only 4 big markets: Italy and Russia (releasing July 2) and Australia and Korea (July 4). Disney first announced the project five years ago (when Dick Cook was chairman of Walt Disney Studios) and it was always a risky bet since young moviegoers have largely stayed away from Westerns and have little familiarity with the masked man or his sidekick. Disney was clearly hoping to replicate the success it had with Pirates Of The Caribbean by going back to the same trilogy filmmaking team of Bruckheimer, Verbinski, and Depp. As Deadline was first to report, the studio in August 2011 shut down Lone Ranger for six months after the budget ballooned out of control. Too bad Disney didn’t just scrap the pic altogether. Especially after big budget Westerns Wild Wild West, Cowboys And Aliens, Jonah Hex all flopped while the Coen Brothers’ True Grit reboot cost only $43M and made major coin. After a year of bad buzz, Lone Ranger opened Tuesday night with an unimpressive $2M for late shows through midnights. Then Fandango saw even more handwriting on the wall Wednesday morning when Despicable Me 2 was scooping up 71% of ticket sales and Lone Ranger only 12%.

Well can't say I'm not surprised that's for sure

[DisneyJedi]

Now, hang on. That's only one day so far. Let's just wait and see before throwing in the towel.

[dvdjunkie]

I never say "I told you so"!!! But I will make a special case for this. PG-13 was the death-knoll for this film. The Lone Ranger never used foul language or cursed. He never killed a man, he always shot to wound. Tonto never wore warpaint for one-minute in the television series or the three movies based on the legendary television show. The Lone Ranger never dallied with the opposite sex, and he was never seen without his mask, even in the three early episodes of the television show that told how he became the Lone Ranger.

I am loving this: I TOLD YOU SO!!!!!

[Flanger-Hanger]

Go see Lone Ranger, the movie is too long, but still good.

The complaints about the violence are total BS too. Nothing anywhere near as bad as say, Raiders or Temple of Doom. This is a TAME PG-13. The Canadian rating is PG for "violence" and nothing else. If it were truly an intense PG-13 like The Dark Knight it would have been given 14A.

[disneyboy20022]

I never say "I told you so"!!! But I will make a special case for this. PG-13 was the death-knoll for this film. The Lone Ranger never used foul language or cursed. He never killed a man, he always shot to wound. Tonto never wore warpaint for one-minute in the television series or the three movies based on the legendary television show. The Lone Ranger never dallied with the opposite sex, and he was never seen without his mask, even in the three early episodes of the television show that told how he became the Lone Ranger.

I am loving this: I TOLD YOU SO!!!!!

Hey for all you know it could come to second place by Monday Morning so quite celebrating so prematurely. Number 2, it is highly rude to say I told you so and are loving this and makes you look very immature not mention a jack a lop troll. Also teh reason it would fail isn't nesscarily from the reason or porblems you had with it. I highly doubt people passed on Lone Ranger and went to Despicable me 2 is because Tonto has War Paint. IF Disney made The Lone Ranger to the very T of the original show, they would be laughed out of the movie industry.

The reasons Lone Ranger wouldn't do well is not because of the complaints you had, it's because Disney paired it on the weekend with Despicable Me 2 which was a bone headed move for Disney to do. So, if Lone Rangers does fail, it won't be because of your complaints, it will be Disney's fault for putting it out this weekend. I think they should have put this maybe at the end of August.


Let's use another scenario. Harry Potter 8 beat Winnie The Pooh. Let's say someone says it's because Winnie the pooh is dumb and there's not enough plot and the original voices aren't back. That's the reason it falied to Harry Potter 8. No Harry Potter 8 was going to beat any movie that weekend. The only reason Pooh didn't do well was because they put it against a movie that had momentum. This is the same for Despicable Me 2. It has more momentum than The Lone Ranger did.

However junkie there is someone who thought like you about Johnny Depp as Tonto

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G2SfN5pOHvc[/youtube]

[estefan]

I never say "I told you so"!!! But I will make a special case for this. PG-13 was the death-knoll for this film. The Lone Ranger never used foul language or cursed. He never killed a man, he always shot to wound. Tonto never wore warpaint for one-minute in the television series or the three movies based on the legendary television show. The Lone Ranger never dallied with the opposite sex, and he was never seen without his mask, even in the three early episodes of the television show that told how he became the Lone Ranger.

I am loving this: I TOLD YOU SO!!!!!

Honestly, I don't think the audience Disney is trying to target with this film (teenagers and young adults) care about how faithful it is to a television show that, let's be honest, most of them haven't seen. In fact, I think you were to ask most teenagers these days if they had heard of the Lone Ranger television show, they would probably look at you with blank stares. Let's be honest here: most teenagers have a tendency to not have any interest in films and television shows made before their year of birth, especially if it's in black-and-white.

[Elladorine]

I am loving this: I TOLD YOU SO!!!!!

. . .

I know everyone is going to use my age against me on this.

Uh . . . no worries there. Seriously.

[Disney Guru]

@dvdjunkie, I for one am yet to see this film and don't plan to as it doesn't really sound interesting to me. But although I understand where your seeking it to be similar to the TV show, and were dismayed at it's PG-13 rating and the the fact that foul language and cursing was used in the film. Among other things. As has been said I highly doubt most people under 30 have even heard of the TV Show I for one am 26 and a huge nostalgia buff but people like me are few and far between. For the most part having Johnny Depp in a film is already going to attract people, westerns are a favorite no matter what generally, and the story-line seems interesting. I'm sure it might not attract all crowds but from the vast viewer reviews I've seen most people seem to enjoy it.

[Mr arrow]

Every time a western themed movie comes out from Disney ...there is the glimmer of hope that it might spawn an e ticket ride in Frontierland ...As they are few and far between I was hoping the Lone Ranger would fill the vacuum and re-invent at least a section of Frontierland.....but for now it doesn't look like that's going to happen...

[Prince Edward]

I thought it was great fun. An epic action adventure, exciting and funny. Am going to see it in theaters one more time before I'll get it on Blu-ray.

[pap64]

Every time a western themed movie comes out from Disney ...there is the glimmer of hope that it might spawn an e ticket ride in Frontierland ...

I don't know, I think both Big Thunder Mountain and Splash Mountain are filling in that role just fine at the Magic Kingdom... Though if you are thinking of Disneyland, then yeah, I could see Disney adding more to their Frontierland.

And now that you mentioned Disney Parks, I have the theory that the reason Disney greenlighted Lone Ranger and then pushed it hard in the marketing department was because they want to do with westerns what Pirates did for Pirate films: create a brand new franchise to exploit throughout every asset of the company. Considering that they got the same people that made Pirates such a success the first time around, it seems they really want to bring Cowboys and Indians into the Disney culture.

But I think the problem I am seeing here is that this is a case of them hoping that lightning strikes the same tree twice. Thing is that Pirates was perhaps their only surprise hit. It had a lot of things in its favor back when the first film premiered: low expectations that were more than met, a performance by Johnny Depp that at the time WAS unique and brilliant, attachment to a popular Disney attraction, and had very little competition against it. So I think Disney hoping that they find that same success with Lone Ranger is gonna be hard because luck was in favor of Pirates, plus the cinematic outlook has changed dramatically since 2003.

As for the supposed level of violence and the PG-13 rating... Honestly, all four Pirates films had lots of violence, death and gruesome scenes and no one seemed to complain, in fact people seemed happy that Disney was embracing their new method of storytelling for older audiences. But I have to see Lone Ranger first to see just how bad the violence is, but it seems surprising that people are up in arms about the violence in this movie.

And finally, guys, don't be too offended by what dvdjunkie said. Just remember that he is supposed to be an older gentleman with a beautiful family which has given him lots of wisdom and world experience that he should be passing onto us dumb kids, but instead he is here celebrating the fact that he was right and that us random kids on the internet were wrong in a way that even actual internet trolls would say "Dang that's annoying". Let that sink in, and you should be fine