Rated R for pervasive extreme drug use and related bizarre behavior, strong language, and brief nudity.
118 Minutes
Directed By: Terry Gilliam
Written By: Terry Gilliam
Based On Novel By: Hunter S. Thompson
Staring: Johnny Depp, Benicio Del Torro, Christina Ricci, Tobey Maguire, Ellen Barkin, Cameron Diaz, and Mark Harmon
How long could we maintain? I wondered. How long until one of us starts raving and jabbering at this boy? What will he think then? This same lonely desert was the last known home of the Manson family; will he make that grim connection when my attorney starts screaming about bats and huge manta rays coming down on the car? If so, well, we’ll just have to cut his head off and bury him somewhere, ’cause it goes without saying that we can’t turn him loose. He’d report us at once to some kind of outback Nazi law enforcement agency and they’ll run us down like dogs. Jesus, did I say that? Or just think it? Was I talking? Did they hear me? -Duke
Synopsis
An oddball journalist and his psychopathic lawyer travel to Las Vegas for a series of psychadelic escapades.
Review
Fear and Loathing is an incredibly unique film on multiple levels. In the first twisted scene down the highway you are sucked into the world of Duke and Dr. Gonzo. When they pick up the hitchhiker from the highway and expose a normal person to compare their state of mind, it becomes abundantly clear what the journey threw this movie will be like. If the hitchhiker had made it more than two miles, he would have been us watching from dark corners as Duke tried unsuccessfully to comprehend what the point of his drug filled weekend in Vegas actually meant.
What Fear and Loathing isn’t, is a highly stylized film that makes jokes that only junkies and stoners will relate to, even though they will relate, there is much more to the story than that. In the drug induced world of Gonzo and Duke, Hunter S. Thompson’s narration from his novel about the events is poignantly like the voice of Oz in the back round. His strange insight-fullness mixed with his dry comic sense was the stuff “Being John Malkovich” had to of been inspired by. The remarkable sense of being caught in his world, was a world wind of confusion and joy.
Johnny Depp’s interpretation of Thompson is without question his best performance ever, and one of the best performances on film PERIOD. He’s had ingenious moments as an actor before, but unless you hadn’t been told one would not have know it was Johnny Depp playing Raoul Duke, because he became Thompson, physically and psychologically. Together himself and Benicio Del Torro make one of the most compelling character stories ever on the big screen.
There are hidden profound messages and without doubt personal discoveries or ideals that may be stumbled upon, but really the essence of Fear and Loathing lies in the fact that it is actually hilarious. Just as you should never turn your back on a drug carrying a butcher knife, you shouldn’t turn your back on insightful comedy. While the visual trip of Fear and Loathing is just as shocking as it’s peculiar narration, this is one of the best films ever made. I adore everything about it.
There he goes. One of God’s own prototypes. A high-powered mutant of some kind never even considered for mass production. Too weird to live, and too rare to die. -Duke
Popularity: 1% [?]
It’s been too long since I’ve watched this one but I remember busting a gut laughing the first time. It appears it’s time to revisit this one with a slightly older perspective. I imagine the laughs will still keep coming though.