Movie-goers criticize Universal Pictures for smoking in children's film 'Rango

For many years, society has accepted the concept of animated characters using tobacco, whether it is cigarettes, cigars or chewing tobacco, as a norm.

From Yosemite Sam’s cigar to George Jetson’s smoking pipe, the concept of smoking, while not exactly encouraged, has never caused a controversy quite like the one seen in response to Universal Picture’s newest release, “Rango.”

The debate reached a point where anti-smoking groups demanded the ratings increase from the current PG for rude humor, language, action and smoking, to an R rating.

The children’s movie follows lonely chameleon, Rango (Johnny Depp), whose life is spent within a terrarium with his family of inanimate objects, suddenly drops out of his solitary life and into the Mojave Desert after a freak car accident.

He spends the first part of the movie roaming around the desert, looking for a new meaning to life when he comes across the small desert town of Dirt.

Having a niche for acting, Rango calls on his thespian skills to fool the residents of the small town into believing he is a rough wanderer.

His introduction as a tough cowboy is first seen in a saloon where the characters are drinking, gambling and, of course, smoking.

The characters cigar-smoking habit in the movie has many interest groups furious about the influence the depiction could have on children, the movie’s targeted audience.

Anti-smoking groups hope a higher rating would minimize the effect smoking in the film could have on impressionable children. However, this action is ridiculously extreme.

One of the more obvious smoking scenes in the movie takes place in the saloon where plenty of other impressionable actions are taking place, such as gambling and drinking.

As in many animated movies, such as “Space Jam” and “101 Dalmatians,” filmmakers use smoking as a tool to make characters look sinister, not cool.

While the picture would have been fine without the extra cigar here or there, it also could have done without the other questionable material.

The activist groups’ main concern is the smoking, even by the bad guys, could influence children negatively; however, no one has mentioned the fact that the characters say the curse words, “damn” and “hell.”

In addition, the scene when Rango finds the bank teller dead in the desert could scar for children emotionally. Also, Rattlesnake Jake, who plays a hit man throughout the entire film, would serve as a questionable role model for children.

Another influencing factor occurs when Rango explains why he is a lizard and his brother is a snake. He said his mother has a “very active social life.”

As with many children’s movies, Hollywood executives are attempting to keep parents from being bored out of their minds by injecting more adult humor and actions, which are unnecessary and influential to children. Yet, no one has said anything about these factors.

In regards to the local industry, Dan Gallas, manager of Times Square Cinema, said residents have not had a problem with the movie at all. He said moviegoers often are very vocal in their complaints about a movie, but none have mentioned anything about “Rango.”

If the parents aren’t freaking out, is there really a dispute?

If industry leaders are worried about the influences movies have over children, they should consider all the negative aspects of the film and not throw a three-year-old temper tantrum over the brief amount of smoking.

If the Motion Picture Association of America officials change the rating to PG-13 or even R, they should stop and consider the real reason they are doing it.

Is it only to keep an annoying activist group at bay, or do they truly see a problem with the effects of smoking on children.

If they really do believe it could negatively affect children, then the higher-ups deciding the ratings need to re-evaluate their regulations for each rating.

In regard to the anti-smoking groups, instead of freaking out over one already-released movie that has “influenced” $38,079,323 worth of viewers on opening weekend alone, maybe they should start aiming toward those who can prevent this influence.

They should start talking to people who actually can do something rather than acting as the children they are trying to protect.