Blu-ray

When his brother is killed by a gang of outlaws, mild-mannered lawyer John Reid (Arnie Hammer) is rescued by a Native American called Tonto (Johnny Depp) and is reborn as a masked avenger. So far, so ordinary – but as you might expect from the producer, director and star of the Pirates of the Caribbean films, this isn't the same Lone Ranger that your parents grew up with.

Of course, director Gore Verbinski and leading man Johnny Depp have previous form in the Western genre with the superb Rango. If The Lone Ranger doesn't measure up to that animated gem, it's still a much better film than word-of-mouth might lead you to expect. And just like Rango, a large part of this comes from the film's playful treatment of the genre and how it's been spiced up with goofy heroes, cartoonish villains and a large dose of unexplained weirdness (what is going on with those killer bunnies?).

It also helps that Verbinski is every bit as adept as directing massive action set-pieces as he is at showcasing Depp's eccentricities – ensuring that the film feels truly broad in scale, something reinforced by the Hobbit-esque 150-minute running time.

Picture: Shot primarily on 35mm, Disney's AVC-encoded 2.40:1 1080p Blu-ray transfer is reference-quality.

The deliberately sun-bleached palette doesn't allow too much in the way of vivid colours, but at the same time the black levels are remarkably true and contrast is astutely judged throughout. Detailing is where the Blu-ray visuals really leave a lasting impression, with every fine texture and intricate detail immaculately rendered and crisply refined. All of Gore Verbinski's massive budget (rumoured at $215m) is right there on the screen for you to gawp at, unblighted by any technical hiccups.
Picture rating: 5/5

Audio: The Lone Ranger sports a DTS-HD MA 7.1 mix on its home theatre debut, and it's a cracker; a truly bombastic track that clearly relishes throwing effects all around the soundstage during set-pieces like Chapter 6's ambush, and astonishes with the power and potency of the LFE channel. However, it also excels at delivering more subtle nuances and prioritising dialogue.  
Audio rating: 5/5

Extras: There's not a lot of replay value to be found in the disc's trio of Making of… featurettes. Arnie's Western Road Trip takes in the locations, Becoming a Cowboy looks at the training the cast underwent and Riding the Rails of The Lone Ranger focuses on building the film's trains. A deleted scene and blooper reel are also included.
Extras rating: 2/5

We say: Not the dud many expected, this fun Western spoof becomes a reference quality home cinema experience on Blu-ray 

The Lone Ranger, Walt Disney Home Entertainment, All-region BD, £25 Approx
HCC VERDICT: 3.5/5