col_rutherford

This failed film adaptation of the Lone Ranger isn't all bad but it's dragged down by several flaws. The movie depicts the origin of the Lone Ranger and his attempt to bring to justice Butch Cavendish, the villain responsible for the death of his brother. Unfortunately it took too long for the protagonist John Reid to become the Lone Ranger. He didn't put on his mask until over halfway through the movie. There were a few action sequences, but they paled in comparison to Superman II and Raiders of the Lost Ark, which were released the same year.

The movie's tone was inconsistent. It was mostly serious and surprisingly violent, but the story was partly told through rhyming narration by Merle Haggard that was cheesy and unnecessary. Haggard also sang the awful song "The Man in the Mask". Another mistake was the casting of Klinton Spilsbury as the Lone Ranger. It was Spilsbury's first and last starring role in a movie. He was good-looking but he lacked charisma and his voice was dubbed by James Keach. Juanin Clay was introduced early in the film as a love interest but the relationship between her character and John Reid didn't go far. More time was spent on the Lone Ranger's friendship with Tonto, who was played by Michael Horse. The best performances in the movie were delivered by Christopher Lloyd as Butch Cavendish, depicted in this version as a disgraced former Union Army major with his own private army, and Jason Robards as President Ulysses S. Grant. Other positives were the cinematography and western scenery. Overall, it's not a terrible movie but it is underwhelming.