“Never take off the mask“
You might say that The Lone Ranger is one of the ways to celebrate Independence Day. Though a fictional character, this legend still remains one of the true American heroes: a greater champion of justice, law and order.
Released on July 3, 2013, Disney’s The Lone Ranger was from the same people behind the successful Pirates Of The Caribbean franchise that made Johnny Depp into a box office powerhouse as the roguish pirate Captain Jack Sparrow.
Set in the early days of the Old West, the film is a more mismatched buddy action-comedy with Depp as Tonto, who serves as mentor to the “wrong brother”: John Reid (Armie Hammer), who will go from being a man of the law to the man in the mask. Together, this unlikely duo will ride on a mission to avenge the deaths of Reid’s brother Dan (James Badge Dale) and the rest of the Texas Rangers, rescue Reid’s nephew Danny and his mother Rebecca, and bring the notorious Butch Cavendish (William Fichtner) to justice.
Also co-starring Helena Bonham Carter and Tom Wilkinson, the release of Disney’s The Lone Ranger was set to help celebrate the 80th anniversary of the masked rider. However, the film received mixed reviews from critics and didn’t strike gold – or silver – at the box office.
The film had its moments such as the incredible setting and the spectacular climax.
For decades, everyone thought Tonto, the faithful Indian companion, was written as an idiot or stupid, despite the fact that he was a warrior, loyal friend and brother to the Ranger. Now, it’s the Masked Man – aka Kemosabe – being portrayed that way in this one. Seeing the trailers were a lot better than seeing the film altogether.
If Disney really wanted to bring “those thrilling days of yesteryear” of The Lone Ranger onto the big screen, then they should’ve look at the Dynamite comic books, and the Moonstone books that included both volumes of The Lone Ranger Chronicles and The Lone Ranger: Vendetta.
This film wasn’t really The Lone Ranger we all know and love. Nowhere in the pages of history is it better than the TV series and the two films with Clayton Moore and Jay Silverheels – or even better than 1981’s The Legend Of The Lone Ranger, which I still love.
Disney’s The Lone Ranger could make a trade: it could either have a cult following years from now – or it is Hi-Yo Silver once and be far, far, far away from ever watching it again.
In other words: Never take off the mask.
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