A Scanner Darkly

Released: 07/7/06

Viewed: 1:35pm 07/11/06

Starring: Keanu Reeves, Robert Downey Jr., Winona Ryder, Woody Harrelson, Rory Cochrane

Directed by: Richard Linklater

Warner Brothers Official Site of the movie

Some of our most talented older and wiser bad boys combine with Sci-Fi’s most prolific mastermind and a new spin on a classic animation technique to make an exciting and slick cautionary tale. A Scanner Darkly, based on the novel by Philip K. Dick is a story about drugs, paranoia, and deception. We follow an undercover cop who has gotten way to deep into the scene, and as cliché as that may sound the story presents enough ideas and originality to keep you on board.

This undercover narc, Bob Arctor, has anonymity within the drug world and the police force, creating sort of a schizophrenic dual life that sets up a whole new series of problems. When your boss doesn’t know who you really are, how much can you get away with? Then the drugs start messing with his head, he loses his grip on reality and all hell breaks loose.

Its message is deep and clever but may not be for the casual viewer. Just know what you’re getting into with this film. It’s not a safe acid trip. Their constant and endless paranoid discussion is funny to a point but not everyone will be up for three stoners talking for five-minutes about the inner workings of an eighteen speed bicycle.

The film was adapted to the screen and directed by Richard Linklater, probably best known for the classic coming of age film Dazed and Confused and his commercial “sell-out� School of Rock. It gets the sell-out label often enough but I like it well enough. It’s great to see how well Linklater has matured over the years. I think his instincts for story and pacing have really come into their own and his sophistication as a storyteller are getting the treatment they deserve on this larger scale.

My one true criticism is that I would have liked the ending to be sharper. The big reveals are handled with no drama. They’re simply laid out to the audience. I think the finale would have had a lot more power had they combined the last two scenes with a monologue montage set to some ironic Pixies tune or something. The ending works but it could have been the sort of closing that affected its viewers and stayed with them for quite some time. That’s partially true because of the power of the story, but it could have been reinforced.

With drugs as its theme and the presentation being a very adult yet child tempting “cartoon�, A Scanner Darkly will certainly raise a few eyebrows and ruffle a few feathers. I wonder how many finger-pointers will be able to look beyond the novelty of it all to see the true message. It’s certainly, but not aggressively, an anti drug film even though its most interesting and engaging characters are all madly addicted low-life scum. All of them are either funny or cool but not to a point where I could see them being idolized or glorified. Certainly not for their drug use or reaction to drugs. I thought Keanu had cool hair, but that was the end of it.

For the record though his patchwork beard, even in animation form, is hysterical. But they are still great characters. The standouts are the sidekicks. I love Reeves but he blends into the background whenever his cohorts come on screen.

Robert Downey Jr. has the best dialogue. He’s given the best lines and as the disturbingly paranoid, pseudo intellectual Barris he delivers these lines with a true, unwarranted sincerity and passion. It’s amazing to watch. I’ve always liked Downey and have enjoyed his recent comeback after his own personal battle with drugs, but I forgot how talented he really is. He steals the show.

Rory Cochrane has the best reactions. As Freck, the most far-gone into the drugs of the group, Cochrane gives an inspired performance filled with jitters and twitches galore. He makes the most of the animated world with his exaggerated jerky movement and wide-eyed breakdowns. So much fun to watch.

The animation over all was a lot of fun. I was worried it would overshadow the story and become more of a distraction than anything else, but was pleased how easy it meshed together. Rotoscoping is a method where the film is shot normally and the animators work their magic over the existing film. It’s a method that was used early on by Disney and the animators of the Superman movie shorts. It’s nothing new, but process used here has a very unique look and feel to it.

They use the animation to push certain aspects of the story like the hallucinations a drugged out mind will often conjure, but the technique isn’t over done or abused. It was nice to see a certain level of restraint with something that is so cool but could potentially blow up in your face.

I do believe the story is strong enough with or without animation, but it’s a lot more fun this way. It makes a sober audience connect with what the stoned are going through, and I’m sure for those that show up to the theatre half-baked, it at least enhances the experience a little. Good luck keeping up with the story though.

Rating: 8 out of 10

A great film that I think most people will really enjoy. I’m hesitant to sing its praises though because it’s not for everybody. There are a lot of nice ideas though and if you’re a fan of any of the talent involved then there’s more than enough to take away from the experience.

DVD Worthy?:

I don’t think so. It’s smart, innovative and interesting, but it meanders into nothingness to often. Perhaps multiple viewings would help me to somehow connect an incomplete conversation about an eighteen speed bike as a metaphor for the larger story, but something tells me that the real point is that the conversation is unnecessary. I get that so I’m not sure I need to relive it. It is certainly worth a rental though. If only for the possibility that they’ll show the process of rotoscoping. I’m dying to see some of the original footage.

Trailer Hitch: The Wicker Man

Dear lord in heaven this movie looks ridiculous. Like a collection of disturbing images with no real meaning, just staged oddities quickly cut in order to freak out the audience. Like Blair Witch 2 (shudder). If that weren’t enough we have the return of the freaky ghost child! Between The Wicker Man(another horror remake), The Omen and Silent Hill 2006 is doing to creepy adolescents what 2005 did to theatrical adaptations of TV shows.

As bad as it looks it does star Nick Cage who I like and has as many hits as misses, so I can’t complain. And when the movies good it’s generally extraordinarily good. For every Windtalkers there’s an Adaptation. Even his movies that barely register on the radar like last falls Lord of War and The Weather Man are entertaining and defiantly worth a viewing. I can’t say I’m getting my hopes up for Wicker Man though. I’m banking on Cage’s other upcoming projects World Trade Center and Ghost Rider to be the ones to pay attention to.

If You liked this movie check out: Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas

Darkly is certainly a drug movie but Fear and Loathing defines what drug movies are all about. It’s vividly disturbing and cool in every aspect, but beyond that its brilliant performances, twisted story, and artful grounded presentation make it so much more than a stoner’s trip. It’s not just an exceptional drug movie; it’s an exceptional movie in and of itself.

Vote incentive:

I’ve let voting slip through my fingers. The lists have become competitive and I’ve been busy with the wedding (see bellow for more details) but after things settle down I’ll get back on track with the incentive images. For now though have a look at the notes I took for A Scanner Darkly. I forgot my notepad so I wrote them on the back of the file folder I use to carry art to work in. I jotted them down while I waited for the tires on my car to be rotated and balanced. It took far too long and I had to pee the entire time. How’s that for “behind the scenes�?

I thought a lot of you would enjoy seeing another part of the process. I don’t always take notes or write them out but it’s often a good way to organize my thoughts and get the best review possible. Anyway, I hope you guys get a kick out of it.

Non Movie Related News

No crazy news today, but I did want to apologies for the lack of updates lately. I’m getting married in 12 days and as that boils to a head life has gotten progressively more and more crazy. This past weekend I was surprised with a bachelor party complete with a limo ride to Atlantic City. How bad ass is that? The weekend before Phil and I were putting together finishing touches on a Matriculated comic so we could have it ready in time for Wizard world Chicago. My life has been filled with little moments like that surrounded by planning for the big event itself and keeping up with the comics.

My other Digital Pimp strips Matriculated and Free Lunch are easy because you do them and they’re done. Boom – they’re up and a dozen people have read them before your head hits the pillow. Joe Loves Crappy Movies is slightly more complicated. The comics themselves are time consuming but easy enough to crank out. I’ve got the ones for Click, Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man’s Chest, Little Man and even the comic that was supposed to update yesterday - 10 on the 10th Joe’s Top 10 Animated Films Featuring: Transformers completed and waiting on deck. There are even another four or so in different stages. But the reviews I never want to rush, and finding time to even watch the movies has become difficult in the past few weeks.

Anyway, I just wanted to let everyone know that I haven’t abandoned the strip or anything. Even though I should have after all the crap people have been giving me over giving Superman Returns a “low� rating of 8. 8 is good people! Relax! After the wedding craziness is over I’ll be playing a huge game of catch up but the comics and reviews will come. I just hope you keep coming back. These comics are the second most important thing in the world to me, but right now, the first most important thing needs me to make sure our wedding runs smoothly. I hope you guys can understand.

See you soon.

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