Rango

Word of the week: gimcrack: a showy but useless or worthless object.

Animation is a field that's constantly evolving. In terms of overall quality, it's constantly journeying through new territories and technologies to impress it's viewers. Case in point is "Rango," directed by Gore Verbinski (the "Pirates of the Carribean" trilogy), and animated by the special effects powerhouse company of George Lucas, Industrial Light and Magic. Admittedly, there was worry that this movie would be a gimcrack, based on the director's latest films, but thankfully the movie avoids these, due to a well-written script and some interesting characters, while doubling up as a faithful homage to westerns and the spirit it embodies. However, the quality of the film is not important in this instance, as I'm here to focus more on the animation.

One thing that stood out right from the beginning was the of the style used. First off, the contrast was fairly high, sporting very little different in-between values. Of course, this was meant to accentuate the effects of the beating sun, which was gradually drying up and destroying the land of the setting. Secondly, the there was a very specific color palette of accentuated interest. Many primary colors were somewhat desaturated, with select colors being emphasized. Yellows, oranges, and blues were heavily saturated, not only as a means of contrast, but also to emphasize the important factors in the environment, like the fiery sun and the dwindling water that the people so desperately needed in the time of a drought. Also heavily emphasized was a faded brown palette that was attributed to the environment.

In terms of the detail in the characters and the environments, the quality was staggering. The textures were sharp and detailed, matched with high polygon count characters. The variance in design and characters was also commendable. Every character had distinct features in their outfits, physical attributes (i.e. missing appendages), and animations. The movements, although exaggerated at times, had a smooth flow to everything, never feeling choppy or robotic.

Visually, it's quite an impressive piece. Regardless of whether or not one enjoys the plot, it's hard not to be impressed with the production values. An interesting style in color choices and contrast help enhance the narrative and emphasize the direness of the situation at hand, while sporting high quality animations that will definitely impress those who want to study how to properly do it.