For the first time Johnny Depp is approachable rather than a drunk pirate, murdering barber, or crazed hatter.

In the new movie “Rango” from Nickelodeon Movies and Paramount Pictures, Depp plays a lonely chameleon named Lars who is trying to find his role in his world (his aquarium) when he has his world shattered. His tank is flipped out of the back of a car and he is stuck in the desert with a town that is dying of thirst. After realizing this is his chance to recreate who he is, Lars adopts the alias of Rango, a gun-slinger who takes names and asks questions later. After becoming the newly elected Sheriff of the town, Rango must take down a corrupt Mayor (Ned Beatty) and find the missing water to keep the town and his new love interest, Beans (Isla Fisher), from having to abandon their farms and the town.

With dramatic riding scenes, fights, explosions, and aerial acrobatics this isn’t just a movie for your five year old brother. The amount of action in “Rango” was enough to fill up a “Die Hard” film and possibly two sequels. Action sequences are packed into this movie keeping true to the old west style it’s based on. Rango encounters many foes that he must fight and overcome in his journeys to save the town, such as Rattlesnake Jake (Bill Nighly) and Bad Bill (Ray Winstone).      

Overall, I really enjoyed the movie. It was a very cute story with a fun meaning behind it and kept me entertained throughout. The cool part about “Rango” was how the animation was able to capture Depp’s attitude and charisma. You could easily see Depp’s facial expressions all over Rango’s face and I felt that they effectively portrayed his attitude from real life into an animated chameleon. Although the story became a bit predictable at some parts, the supporting cast and group of mariachi owls that provided comic relief throughout the movie kept you into it. They acted as a Greek chorus that kept predicating Rango’s untimely demise.

I recommend “Rango” for anyone who wants a goofy yet action packed movie to go see with their friends or family, I think you will truly enjoy it.