John Depp plays Tonto, making any and all revisionist flares The Lone Ranger attempts all the sadder. With a stupid bird on his head, Depp's "noble savage" rescues attorney John Reid after being ambushed by ruthless outlaws. Now a “dead” man, Reid dons a mask, loads up some silver bullets and sets out to avenge his brother's murder...eventually. A large part of the film's bloated failure is just how long it takes Reid's meandering hero to actually do anything. Still, Armie Hammer (The Social Network) is strapping and all the flourishes referencing Leone and Ford will be appreciated by 7-year-olds. The first Pirates of the Caribbean, from the same director, producer, writers and star, bristled with a manic energy which appears difficult to capture twice. The Lone Ranger's good intentions don't make up for its racial problems, but ultimately it makes the much larger sin of being boring.
