Walt Disney's The Lone Ranger vies with Despicable Me 2 in ticket sales for the U.S. Independence Day holiday. The Johnny Depp-starrer already earned $2 million during its opening week in U.S. and Canada.

Movie critics who have seen the earlier release of the Western movie in a premiere viewing have pointed out questions whether Johnny Depp's character, the native American Tonto, a racist or is it just a question of who should have played the character.

Actress Lena Dunham, the star of HBO series Girls and Across the Universe actress Evan Rachel Wood took to Twitter their thoughts about Depp portraying Tonto:

"Can someone tell me whether we're supposed to be offended by Johnny Depp's portrayal of Tonto or not? Must know for dinner parties/twitter.

- Lena Dunham (@lenadunham) June 17, 2013"

"Looks pretty offensive. @lenadunham

- Evan Rachel Wood (@evanrachelwood) June 17, 2013"

"@evanrachelwood That's what I thought. The Hollywood hive mind is peddling the justification that he's 1/38th Native American.

- Lena Dunham (@lenadunham) June 17, 2013"

"I mean technically my great grandfather was part native american but I am not in line to play Sacagawea @lenadunham

- Evan Rachel Wood (@evanrachelwood) June 17, 2013"

According to Time, an elected official for the Comanche people Coffey was pleased to see The Lone Ranger.

"I think it was a very realistic portrayal of a Native American," he said.

Depp has a special relationship with the Comanche people because of his native American heritage. He was made an honorary member of the Comanche nation a few years ago and attended the Comanche Fair in October 2012 as an honoured guest.

Depp and Disney have also screened the movie for the Comanche nation, and proceeds from the L.A. premiere were promised to the American Indian College fund.

Was this move timely for the promotion of Depp's movie?

Salon.com reported that a media network for the American Indian community has contested Depp's claim that he was of Indian heritage.

Would the movie be better if a real native American actor played Tonto?

Slate wrote: "No. But the filmmakers don't succeed in their effort to have it both ways. Depp's attempt to be a 'warrior' role model to all the American Indian kids lucky enough to watch him save the day fails-and for the simple reason that the original material is too entrenched in an essentially racist ideology."

Moviefone Canada, on the other hand, wrote: "The movie does much to address many of the rampantly stereotypical representations that the Western genre provided on-screen regarding Aboriginal culture, yet for some, this work is further evidence of how much further we have to go."

The Lone Ranger opens in Australia on Thursday, July 4. Watch the film and decide whether Tonto is racist or not?

See The Lone Ranger trailer below:

Also read:

Johnny Depp Dressed as Lone Ranger's Tonto for Rolling Stone Cover

Read about the upcoming movie releases in Australia this July:

Watch the Trailer for 'The Turning', to Debut at Melbourne International Film Festival
James Wan Directs 'The Conjuring' May Become the Scariest Movie of 2013
Comedy Actors Face Apocalypse in 'This Is The End'
Ryan Gosling's "Only God Forgives" Wins Top Sydney Film Prize; Movie Gets New Trailer

RELATED STORIES