Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas REVIEW
It's hard to write about this film without recognizing the harsh divisions in the critical community about it. It's proponents say that it is a tremendously faithful adaptation of Hunter S. Thompson's book. Its detractors say that the book does not work as cinema, or that the book is dated. Let it be said that on this point I'm on the side of the proponents: a film cannot be faulted by the material it's based upon. Let the patron decide if the material suits him/her.
That said, and admitting that I did not read Thompson's journal about his drug binges in this one pivotal weekend in 1971, part of me enjoyed _Fear and Loathing_ in much the same way I enjoyed _2001, A Space Odyssey_. The key to enjoying both films is to set your brain aside, forget any notions of plot, and let the images take over. In its own quirky-but-deadpan way, _Fear and Loathing_ accomplishes just that.
In particular, I enjoyed some of the early sequences: the hitchhiker, the hotel, the cocktail lounge. I also enjoyed some of the juicy cameos, such as Christina Ricci and Gary Busey. Johnny Depp plays Thompson's alter-ego, "Duke" with the one-note cartoonishness similar to that of Ed Wood. Plumped-up Benecio Del Toro did an even more exemplary job playing Duke's comrade "lawyer" Dr. Gonzo, who at times turns intensely violent.
It is in these violent (along with downer) stretches, that the film begins to drag. I suppose that it's morally strong to include the results of the drug binges, such as the extended rage sequences in the hotel room, or the nauseous merry-go-round sequence in a Circus -based entertainment center. It accomplished what it was supposed to: when I was to feel nauseous, I felt nauseous. When I was to feel a sense of terror, I felt that too. These experiences happen intermittently throughout, and the audience has to wonder at these junctures if the storytelling arc couldn't have been improved.
As a point of contrast, take the best OD movie scene in recent memory: Pulp Fiction. when Mia OD's on heroin, the audience felt that sense of terror and comedy intermingled together, that built and built until the final stab of a punchline came through. One person got a heartattack watching that at the NY Film festival. After the sequence, drugs are not mentioned again. It's point was made. Move on.
Contrast that with Fear and Loathing: there's better imagery in the latter, but the timing is off. It speeds, it dazzles, it exhilirates, then it gets dizzying, nauseous, terrifying, and embarrassing, only to begin again. This is one of those cases where I think it will play better on television, because the commercials will break up the constant action, and its little vigniettes can work as chapters that stand on their own.
Back to Depp's Duke. Material like this is unique in itself, and it is a plus, to some extent, that his deadpan narration is guiding us through the film. Which works and doesn't. I found a liking to Thompson's writing, and the matter-of-fact way he speaks of seeing bats and man-eating carpets. What's missing (and I wouldn't know how to resolve this) is a human element. Why risk throwing your whole career away on your addiction? The film touches upon reasons: Vietnam, dissatisfaction with society, the desire to push yourself as far to the edge without crossing it. But it's too cartoonish to be taken seriously.
Maybe it's the timing. The just seen _Ice Storm_ is still fresh in my mind, and tackles this with far greater efficiency than whatever special effects Gilliam provides.
So it's a mixed bag. I enjoyed much of the film, but not quite enough to recommend it. You know who you are. If you appreciated the anti-politically correct, pro-drug book, then you're bound to enjoy the movie. And shame on you.
Nick Scale: 1 to 10 : 5
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