I actually quite liked
Minority Report. It managed to retain the spirit of the story on which it was based while compromising enough to maintain its blockbuster action movie footing.
Blade Runner is one of the greatest films of all time, and if you don't agree you may as well just stop reading and carry on with eating Lego or whatever it is you do with your time. It's based loosely on
Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?, but discards many of the story's more metaphysical aspects.
Paycheck. Well. I've never seen
Paycheck because prolonged exposure to Ben Affleck brings me out in a fury, but I'm reliably informed that it's fairly divergent from the original.
Total Recall is hugely enjoyable, but aside from sharing a central idea it's pretty far removed from
We Can Remember it for You Wholesale. Never before, to my knowledge, has any Philip K. Dick adaptation come anywhere
close to being as faithful to the source material as
A Scanner Darkly.
We follow the story of Bob Arctor, a man divided. Employed as an undercover narcotics agent who goes by the codename "Fred", Arctor is hopelessly addicted to a drug known as Substance D. Abuse of this drug leads to brain damage and eventual death, and it's this process of degradation that we follow as Arctor's reality begins to fragment. As the film progresses he loses track of his own identity, until "Fred" finds himself happily spying on Bob Arctor. No longer considered fit to perform his duties—indeed, in serious danger of death—Fred/Bob is admitted to rehab, and it is here that things take a darker turn, as more is revealed about the enigmatic Substance D.
If people will insist on employing Keanu Reeves, they could do a lot worse than to continue casting him as a brain-damaged junkie. It's a role he carries off remarkably well. Here he benefits from some exemplary supporting performances, particularly those of Robert Downey Jr. and Winona Ryder. These performances really make the film, as Arctor and his group of drug-addict friends are portrayed as likeable human beings rather than being demonised. Their plight is an affecting one.
Much of Philip K. Dick's dialogue has remained intact, and this bolsters the film with a great deal of dark humour and verisimilitude. The scenes of paranoia, misplaced aggression and torturous logical leaps will be instantly familiar to anyone who's been in a similar situation. Given that
A Scanner Darkly was written largely from Mr. Dick's first-hand experience, this should come as no surprise.
The rotoscoping animation technique used here—scenes were first filmed and then painstakingly cel-animated over—is far more than a simple gimmick. It lends each scene a layer of separation from reality, and the sensation intensifies as the film progresses and the central character's mental condition further degrades. It's the only way the film could have worked properly other than doling out hallucinogenic drugs with every ticket.
The transition from page to screen has robbed
A Scanner Darkly of none of its impact. The story, with its criticisms of the establishment and warnings of encroaching police surveillance, is more relevant today than it was when it was first written.
Viddy well, little brother. Viddy well.
A Scanner Darkly is released on Friday 18th of August. Rated 15.
Official Site
