A Scanner Darkly Review

by Jerry Saravia (Faust668 AT msn DOT com)
July 27th, 2007

A SCANNER DARKLY (2006)
Reviewed by Jerry Saravia
RATING: Three stars and a half

Films like "A Scanner Darkly" confound expectations and deal with subject matter that audiences would rather not respond to. That is a shame because "A Scanner Darkly" is one hypnotic, overcaffeinated drug trip of a movie. Call it "The Matrix" as seen through the eyes of drug addicts.

And speaking of "The Matrix," Keanu Reeves plays Bob Arctor, a narc working undercover. He lives in a house with roomates who talk about drugs or do them, or philosophize about mundane things (such as how many gears are in an 18-speed bike). Rory Cochrane plays Freck (looking like a dishevelled mop), a guy who in the opening scene imagines bugs crawling around his body. There is also Woody Harrelson as a freaked-out paranoid who believes everything Barris (Robert Downey Jr.) tells him. They are all taking the drug Substance D, which consists of a red pill that turns you into a paranoid wreck. You might be paranoid too if you saw conspiracy theorist Alex Jones ranting and raving on the street, or Winona Ryder as a blonde dealer who refuses to be touched and seems to shapeshift into some other girl when having sex. Oh, yes, and the undercovers wear scramble suits, which allows them to look like living, breathing, alternating holograms. However, these suits are only worn in police stations or conferences. Meanwhile, the narcs have to undergo routine blood tests to be sure they are not consuming the drug they are trying to bust other people for!

Think of "A Scanner Darkly" as the animated, psychedelic version of 1991's "Rush" and you'll get a good idea of what to expect. Based on Philip K. Dick's novel, "A Scanner Darkly" is difficult to sit through at times, and other times it is exhilarating. The film was rotoscoped from its original print - basically, everything was shot live on DV and then animated. For director Richard Linklater, it is the second time he has employed this approach - the first time was in the unique "Waking Life." That will make audiences more or less receptive to the visuals, depending on one's tastes. This technique often works beautifully, especially the scene with the bugs or the philosophical mumblings of Barris (besides, Robert Downey, Jr. is always fun to watch, animated or not). I also love the scenes with Winona Ryder, who accentuates the hypnotic quality by her voice as much as her face. The scramble suit can be a bit much too endure since it is used repeatedly. And Keanu Reeves, dare I say, often mesmerizes precisely because he is animated.

A film like "A Scanner Darkly" largely depends on your tolerance for the subject matter and the visuals. If you are like me and enjoy both, then you'll like the film. Some have called Terry Gilliam's widly overstated and unwatchable "Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas" a movie that isn't about drugs - it is drugs. Well, "A Scanner Darkly" doesn't aim as high as one might hope into any insights on addiction, but it understands the nature of addiction and what it does. Yes, this movie is drugs.

For more reviews, check out JERRY AT THE MOVIES at:
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