A Scanner Darkly
Warner Independent Pictures (WIP) | Release Date: July 7, 2006
7.7
USER SCORE
Generally favorable reviews based on 262 Ratings
USER RATING DISTRIBUTION
Positive:
206
Mixed:
30
Negative:
26
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User Reviews

User scoreBy dateMost helpful
0
OscarP.Aug 1, 2006
I haven't walked out of a movie since "The sound of music" when I was twelve. What a waste of 8 dollars, luckily I snuck into "My Ex Super Girlfriend" , which, by the way was quite funny. But This movie, THIS movie, was awful, not to I haven't walked out of a movie since "The sound of music" when I was twelve. What a waste of 8 dollars, luckily I snuck into "My Ex Super Girlfriend" , which, by the way was quite funny. But This movie, THIS movie, was awful, not to mention a group of people who couldn't stop laughing at the boring, diatribe, so called witty dialogue. The cartoonish overtone felt annoying, probably done because the special effects might have cost too much. Anyway, don't waste your money, I like most movies and this one was really bad, I'm sure philip Dick would have been dissapointed. After a simple plot developed laced with too much overacting and ostentatious witty dialogue, 45 minutes had already passed, I felt that I couldn't take it anymore!… Expand
1 of 1 users found this helpful
1
StuartDoolittleOct 4, 2006
People think that because they don't get it, it must be great. Its not, it sucks. And the revolutionary visual effects are revolutionary but nothing else - the overall effect is tacky and cartoonish. No substance, no plot, poor visuals, People think that because they don't get it, it must be great. Its not, it sucks. And the revolutionary visual effects are revolutionary but nothing else - the overall effect is tacky and cartoonish. No substance, no plot, poor visuals, no soundtrack, no drama, no excitement, nothing, nada, squat.… Expand
1 of 1 users found this helpful
0
LorenC.Jul 30, 2006
This movie was slow and eventless. Perhaps it did have a deep plot, but I was just so bored that I didn't care, I just wanted it to end. And most of the other people who left the cinema seemed bored and confused too, so I was really This movie was slow and eventless. Perhaps it did have a deep plot, but I was just so bored that I didn't care, I just wanted it to end. And most of the other people who left the cinema seemed bored and confused too, so I was really surprised with the ratings others gave it.… Expand
1 of 1 users found this helpful
1
TreyS.Jul 9, 2006
Walked out after 30 minutes. Mindless drug ranting with eye-straining animation. Loved Trainspotting and various other drug related movies but couldn't take this one from the first scene.
1 of 1 users found this helpful
1
DickD.Aug 18, 2006
boring movie with cool rotoscope deal. Not worth seeing in theaters.
1 of 1 users found this helpful
3
KenGSep 23, 2006
What needed to be sharp and edgy comes off as slow, meandering, shapeless, and too often incoherent. You walked out of this thinking that Linklater was definitely the wrong one for this material, as all he was really interested was the look What needed to be sharp and edgy comes off as slow, meandering, shapeless, and too often incoherent. You walked out of this thinking that Linklater was definitely the wrong one for this material, as all he was really interested was the look of the film, and "dazzleing" us with his dialogue. Except for the "image changing" suit that two of the characters always wore, there was no real reason to place this story in the future. And you got tired of the suit.… Expand
1 of 1 users found this helpful
3
MikeDec 21, 2006
Whats the deal with this director? I have seen all of his movies, and they all have one thing in common. They are extermely BORING! I am giving it a 3 only for the animations, which are ok. But nothing mind blowing. But I imagine it took Whats the deal with this director? I have seen all of his movies, and they all have one thing in common. They are extermely BORING! I am giving it a 3 only for the animations, which are ok. But nothing mind blowing. But I imagine it took them a long time to make. Alot of boring, meaningless dialog, with the "twist" at the end, which was very predictable.… Expand
1 of 1 users found this helpful
0
IvoryE.Jul 28, 2006
One of the worst movies I have ever seen in my life, and I watch alot of movies. There is no emotional connection with any of the characters, partly because the dialogue sounds like it was written by a 12 year old and partly because it is One of the worst movies I have ever seen in my life, and I watch alot of movies. There is no emotional connection with any of the characters, partly because the dialogue sounds like it was written by a 12 year old and partly because it is delivered by such thespian powerhouses like Harrelson, Downey, Ryder and (cough) Reeves. I almost walked out on this one...almost.… Expand
1 of 1 users found this helpful
0
BobSep 15, 2006
Worst movie I have ever seen. First time I have ever walked out on a film. Avoid at all cost.
1 of 1 users found this helpful
0
bassthingFeb 10, 2011
Unfortunately so painful that me and my wife gave up after 17 minutes of watching this. This may sound dismissive but it is a rare occasion that I begin to watch a film and then give up (I even sat through Pirates of the Caribbean 2 and 3.Unfortunately so painful that me and my wife gave up after 17 minutes of watching this. This may sound dismissive but it is a rare occasion that I begin to watch a film and then give up (I even sat through Pirates of the Caribbean 2 and 3. Now thatâ… Expand
2 of 4 users found this helpful22
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0
MichaelK.Jul 9, 2006
No doubt one of the worst experiences of my life. I wish I would have been prepared for this strange and twisted cartoon. It's hidden meanings and plotlines were difficult if not impossible to follow. It would fit in better in a No doubt one of the worst experiences of my life. I wish I would have been prepared for this strange and twisted cartoon. It's hidden meanings and plotlines were difficult if not impossible to follow. It would fit in better in a "twilight zone" episode.… Expand
1 of 2 users found this helpful
0
PeterL.Jul 5, 2006
i've never wanted a movie to END so soon as this bore.
1 of 2 users found this helpful
3
NecromusDec 6, 2012
This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. I went into this movie not really knowing anything about it other than it had Keanu Reeves in it and it was a movie about reality not being what it seems (hmm, where have I seen that idea before, cough, Matrix, cough..). I soon figured out it is a film about the Illuminati and the New World Order (I think) because the whole movie is filled with Illuminati symbolism on T-Shirts, in pictures on the walls, etc., and there is even a scene with Alex Jones shouting through a megaphone protesting the New World Order and getting tasered. Unfortunately, while that is a topic I love to see movies educating the public about, this movie fails to do that. My girlfriend saw this with me and after the scene of Alex Jones just popping up and getting tasered, she was like: "who the hell was that and what was that all about?". Now, I recently learned that this movie is based upon a novel written in 1977 about "monopolistic corporations, authoritarian governments, and altered states" according to Wikipedia. Now if the Alex Jones and Illuminati stuff was just added to the story to update it to today's conspiracy culture then actually that is kind of cool and I'm probably being too hard on it.

But, either way, this movie is just a jumbled mess of a plot that does not make sense to anyone. The movie is about people on drugs, is this movie supposed to be interpreted as if you are viewing it on drugs? Because that is what this movie feels like to watch, a movie that is incomprehensible like you are watching it on a high dosage of morphine (without the nice buzz) after you recently had major surgery at the hospital. The animation overlay idea was cool, but really, the emotion of the actors and actresses was lost in translation, I'd much rather see the real facial expressions of the actors/actresses than just a scribbly sketch of them which makes the movie really boring.… Expand
1 of 2 users found this helpful11
All this user's reviews
0
C.P.Jul 21, 2006
Only movie I've ever walked out on. The critics are bamboozled once again, misinterpreting discord for depth, cynicism for creative genius. Linkletter has made some excellent films, and this isn't one of them. What saved his Only movie I've ever walked out on. The critics are bamboozled once again, misinterpreting discord for depth, cynicism for creative genius. Linkletter has made some excellent films, and this isn't one of them. What saved his previous films, indeed made them inspriing, was that "the man" was the enemy, and optimism and human spirit won the day . Here, "the man" has already won the battle, and we're supposed to reward the filmaker for not even trying to fight the war. Avoid it at all costs.… Expand
1 of 3 users found this helpful
2
harvdog03Oct 31, 2018
I thought the look of the movie was really cool and interesting but I was just bored out of my mind.
0 of 0 users found this helpful00
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