The Lone Ranger - Was Johnny enough?

The Lone Ranger is a movie based on a fictional character from a 1930's radio show which became a tv show and several feature films.  The only thing I remember about the tv show was that it was in black and white.  I'm not really into westerns, so it didn't peak my interest.  That is probably why this is the first of the films that I've seen as well.  The only thing that peaked my interest this time is Johnny Depp as Tonto.  I'm not sure if he was enough for me to say this was a good movie.

Before I go any further, let me first say that I'm not so sure that this movie should be rated PG13.  There was a lot of violence, blood (I mean dude cut out and ate someone's heart!), prostitutes, decapitations, cross dressing and slightly confused villains (not that there's anything wrong with drag queens), and lots and lots of death.  Although it wasn't gory, I just thought some of the subject matter should have caused the rating to be a bit higher.  But I digress...

Johnny Depp is the only reason I wanted to see The Lone Ranger.  I've been a fan of his since 21 Jump Street, and having Helena Bonham Carter in the movie (those two must be a package deal because they are in everything together and I love it) was a bonus to me.  I don't know who Armie Hammer is, and this movie didn't really make me want to either even though he's the star of the show as The Lone Ranger.  Mr. Depp was his usual quirky self which of course kept this sort of dark film, light, but he wasn't enough to make the movie a really good movie.

A large part of the problem is that the storyline is really really dark and kind of disturbing.  After John Reid, his brother, and all the other Texas Rangers are murdered, John decides to get justice with the help of a spirit horse and Tonto.  He becomes the Lone Ranger in the process.  On top of that, the "white man" is trying to take land from the Comanche Indians to build a railroad through their land for commerce and profit.  Not to mention, there is lots of murder of Indians for the sake of mining pure silver with the blood, sweat, and tears of asians help  Oh, and there's that sadistic cannibalistic villain who is orchestrating all of this.  Doesn't that sound like a Disney movie?  Well, it is.  This movie really tells part of the tale of how the native American population was decimated for money and land, and how sad that is.  It's really hard to laugh when all of this it happening.

This movie isn't bad, but it isn't good.  It's just, alright.  You will laugh a little and some of the action is good, but I just couldn't get past the underlining story.  It could just be me.  You can go see it for yourself, but remember how Will Smith's Wild Wild West was?  You could have gone your whole life without seeing that western, and you can go your whole life without seeing this one, and you'll be just fine.  Don't get sucked in my Johnny Depp.  He's just not enough this time.