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A Scanner Darkly

"A Scanner Darkly" is a strange film. Based on one of Philip K. Dick’s novels, it is also one of the most loyal to its original source material, certainly more than part of the reason for its strangeness. While this has hardly been the case for films based on his stories in the past, leading to good ("Minority Report," "Total Recall") and bad ("Paycheck," "Next") results, it is perfectly welcome here. As one of Dick’s most reflecting works concerning his and his friends’ drug addiction and its negative effects, "A Scanner Darkly" has a stark Dickian twist, shooting the story somewhere in the future, where a police-state knows everything you are doing, exacerbating the paranoia of the drug users we are to follow.

Bob Arctor is a drug dealer of the drug Substance D. He and his friends are a group of cracked-out bums who are paranoid beyond belief. They believe they are under constant surveillance, that the police are aware of every move they are making. This may be true as we meet Fred, an undercover agent tasked with observing Arctor and his friends. He must wear a suit that constantly changes his appearance, hiding his true identity. What Fred, and Arctor for that matter, don’t know is that Substance D slowly splits the brain into two competing hemispheres, creating two personalities that neither knows about. And what he doesn’t know is that Arctor is Fred and he has been narcing on himself the whole time.

"A Scanner Darkly" was filmed using rotoscoping, an animation technique where actual film is animated over by artists. Director Richard Linklater has done this before in the film "Waking Life," yet this time, the artistry is much sharper and more tolerable. In fact, it certainly helps the film, particularly when recreating the scramble suit that Fred wears to hide his identity.

While Keanu Reeves is often panned for his wooden acting, he does a sufficient job as Bob Arctor and in many ways, his mannerisms help in his portrayal of a burnt out husk. Yet, it is his housemates Ernie Luckman, played by Woody Harrelson, and James Barris, played by Robert Downey Jr, that are really wonderful to watch. When the three are together, they go off on drug-induced rants, making very philosophical and hysterical scenes to watch. Considering Arctor is often the straight man in these sequences, Luckman and Barris are the real attraction during these conversations. If anything, the funniest scenes spring up when Luckman and Barris are alone, such as when Luckman begins to choke on a piece of food and Barris simply watches, waiting an incredible amount of time before calling for an ambulance. Their conversation after Luckman recovers is almost gut-busting.

Yet, Arctor’s growing conflict as his brain splits further and drug-induced psychosis sets in are what really churn the story. It is a mystery that everyone knows except the main character and it is interesting to watch as this character slowly falls apart.

Dick originally wrote "A Scanner Darkly" as an ode to all the friends he lost due to drug addiction. Much of his message, personality and humor are translated in this film. If you are interested in a weird, sci-fi tale about warped drug users, this is certainly up your alley. It may take a bit to become accustomed to its artistic presentation, but "A Scanner Darkly" is a very good adaptation.

Written by: Manny Carrasco

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