Scanner Darkly Film Review

Philip K Dick

If you want to be able to grasp A Scanner Darkly, and bring an educated outlook to your viewing of this film then I suggest you do some preemptive reading on whom Phillip K Dick was and the worlds' which he creates and the themes which he explores.

Suffice it to say that Philip was a bit on the crazy side of well...crazy. But in a good way, from the perspective of someone who wants to see great art and won't admit to himself that if he wants a fantastic theatrical omelet he might have to get it from a cracked egg, and deep down he's okay with that despite whatever psychiatric suffering the artist serving him the dish may be undergoing.

Additionally: Philip K. Dick.

In no way am I talking about myself. Okay, maybe I am.

Blade Runner. Minority Report. These are also films adapted from the works of Philip.

(BTW the entire article I shall be fighting the urge to refer to him as Mr. Dick.)

Scanner Darkly is a 2006 film directed by Ricahrd Linklater. It stars Keanu Reeves, Woody Harrelson, Robert Downey Jr, Wynona Ryder, and Rory Cochrane. Continuing his theme of involving himself in thoughtful work of weight and social relevance, George Clooney was a producer of the film.

Immediately I gravitated to the film due to the fact that it sported a cast of people who's smaller projects tend to be their most creative, interesting exploits. You get the impression it's a film they want to do, not just to pay bills and keep their names in the public eye.

The film takes place seven years from the time that the viewer is watching it. Technology is less the theme of this work as opposed to the book and film Minority Report.

Keanu Reeves plays and undercover police officer attempting to gain intelligence as to whom is behind the distribution of Substance D. Substance D. is the highly addictive drug that has debilitated law enforcements attempts at winning the drug war.

Like many of Dick's works themes of the government using technology to survey and control the behavior is prominent,a key puzzle piece in his view of a Dystopian American Future.

I think the best production decision was the one that gave the film it's distinct look . The actors were filmed digitally and then interpolated rotoscope was used to animate them.

This was I believe to be the bast way to present the story on the screen. The constantly pulsating and morphing disguise suit which the police wear to remain anonymous to each other would have been difficult to pull off without the aid of animation. And without animation the discourse may have become more about the films special effects than the story and themes contained within.

As I am typing this however, I feel impotent of the ability to describe what I am talking about in terms of the distinct look of the film, and the aforementioned disguise utilized by law enforcement in the film.

So Here is the Trailer:



I felt the film was excellent. The main thing I hope for when I view a film is to "see something I haven't seen already" meaning I want a fresh artistic dish. Scanner Darkly provides this and more. It provides food for thought and visual stimuli due to it's unique production methods.