The Lone Ranger (2013)
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A mysterious masked man and a skilled warrior team up to bring justice to the American Old West.
The story
In 1933, a young boy named Will meets an elderly Comanche man named Tonto, who begins recounting his experiences from 64 years prior. The narrative shifts to 1869, where a lawyer named John Reid is traveling via the Transcontinental Railroad. After a violent train derailment and the death of his brother, John is deputized as a Texas Ranger. He joins forces with Tonto, a man who believes certain outlaws are mythical beasts. Together, the pair must navigate the dangers of the frontier, facing a ruthless outlaw and a corrupt railroad tycoon to bring justice to the land.
Full plot (contains spoilers)
In 1933, a boy named Will meets Tonto, who recounts his life in the Old West. In 1869, John Reid is traveling by train when it is derailed by the gang of Butch Cavendish. John's brother, Dan, is killed by Cavendish. John is deputized as a Texas Ranger and joins Tonto, who believes Cavendish is a 'wendigo' and gives John a silver bullet to use against him. They face off against the villainous Latham Cole, a railroad tycoon who is secretly Cavendish's partner. After a series of skirmishes involving the kidnapping of Dan's family and the betrayal of a fellow ranger, John and Tonto eventually confront the villains at a railroad bridge. During a high-stakes chase involving two trains and a bridge explosion, John kills Cavendish and Fuller, while Tonto ensures the destruction of the villain's wealth. The film ends in 1933 with Tonto giving Will a silver bullet, and the boy putting on a mask.
- First release year
- 2013
- Runtime (minutes)
- 149
- Production countries
- United States
- Original languages
- English
- Directors
- Gore Verbinski
- Writers
- Justin Haythe · writer; Ted Elliott · writer; Terry Rossio · writer
- Cast and characters
- Johnny Depp · Tonto; Armie Hammer · John Reid / Lone Ranger; William Fichtner · Butch Cavendish; Tom Wilkinson · Latham Cole; Ruth Wilson · Rebecca Reid; Helena Bonham Carter · Red Harrington; James Badge Dale · Dan Reid; Barry Pepper · Captain Jay Fuller
- Genres
- Western; action; adventure
- Themes
- justice; vengeance; identity
- Tone and mood
- action-packed; epic
- Setting
- The American Old West in 1869, with a framing narrative in 1933 San Francisco.
- Premise and plot tags
- Western; Buddy Film; Vigilante; Reboot
- Source material / true-story basis
- Based on the title character of the same name
- Franchise connections
- Lone Ranger
- Reception
- The film received generally negative reviews from critics and was considered a box-office bomb.
- Reported review scores
- Rotten Tomatoes · score: 31% · scale: percentage · review count: 250; Metacritic · score: 37 · scale: 100 · review count: 45; CinemaScore · score: B+ · scale: A+ to F
- Awards and nominations
- Academy Awards · Best Visual Effects · Nominated; Academy Awards · Best Makeup and Hairstyling · Nominated
- Production trivia
- The film was nearly canceled due to production problems and budget concerns.
Film metadata comes from the open sources listed in Credits & Contact. Catalogue details may be incomplete.
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