Gore Verbinski’s The Lone Ranger is the best action/adventure movie of the summer so far. It’s everything Man of Steel wasn’t. It’s true to the spirit of the characters while giving them a unique reworking, packed with action and adventure without being too heavy on CGI, and filled with life and humor. Yes, it’s a bit too violent and too long, and certain elements just don’t seem to fit, but it’s impossible to resist its spectacle. Some movies overwhelm you with their spirit despite their flaws, and this is one of them. 3 ½ stars on my 0-5 scale.

By the way, I will not be reviewing this film for The Orlando Weekly, but you should check out the Weekly‘s take on it anyway, at www.orlandoweekly.com, next week.

And in case you were wondering, no, Sears did not exist when this movie was set. And Stars and Stripes Forever had not been written. Oops. (However, because of the story-within-a-story construction and the mythical, non-realistic nature of it, those historical inaccuracies are somewhat forgiveable.)