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 scoreBy dateMost helpful
4
JBJul 31, 2006
I love Richard Linklater, but this is his worst film. It's kind of like Waking Life combined with Minority Report. There's about a five minute sequence that's very funny and points more to Dazed and Confused. He should have I love Richard Linklater, but this is his worst film. It's kind of like Waking Life combined with Minority Report. There's about a five minute sequence that's very funny and points more to Dazed and Confused. He should have gone more that way for the other 95 minutes, but I suspect he was being too true to the source material. He should have left it behind and made the vision more his own. What we are left with is not dramatic, it isn't philosopically interesting. It ends up being a far too typical picture of some paranoid future world where everything somehow connects. I guess we're supposed to think that's heavy, but it isn't. The animation is interesting at times and also, I think, irritating. What's the point?… Expand
2 of 2 users found this helpful
6
DanJul 10, 2006
It could have been so much better. Great cast, the story appeared to be fantastic, but the exectuion was horrible. I mean he really missed the mark on this one. The animation greatly took away from the heart of the story and disconnected the It could have been so much better. Great cast, the story appeared to be fantastic, but the exectuion was horrible. I mean he really missed the mark on this one. The animation greatly took away from the heart of the story and disconnected the audience from the realitites of mental illness due to drug abuse. I really have no idea why he felt he needed to use animation to bring this story to the screen. I think that was the major mistake in the development of this concept, and from that point on it was cursed to be boring and totally out of touch with raw human emotion. If you want to see a great animated feature, check out Watership Down.… Expand
1 of 1 users found this helpful
6
RoryP.Jun 21, 2008
I'm not usually a fan of Robert Downey Jr, but I thought he was very good in this film. He managed to make something striking out of his typical funny/oddball shtick, creating a presence in his neurotic character that mananged to be I'm not usually a fan of Robert Downey Jr, but I thought he was very good in this film. He managed to make something striking out of his typical funny/oddball shtick, creating a presence in his neurotic character that mananged to be both weak and threatening. In fact, I liked his performance so much that, as i watched it, i began wishing i could see him acting the part without all the rotoscoping sh*t hiding the performance. Rory Cochrane on the other hand, was over the top in a way that perfectly suited the rotoscope format and the tone of the film. I really hope he gets out of CSI and gets into some movies/non-cack tv shows. I'd love to see him in a decent role. Keanu does his sullen thing again. Its alright, just about. The rotoscoping thing is good, and the acting is good enough, and their is some good dialogue. Its just all very slow and protracted though. its all a bit of a whimper. An unfocused one at that. I'd say this film is most suitable for dedicated fans of Mr. Dick and connoisseurs of film production. Other then that, i'd say you'll be relatively bored of the whole thing, interesting themes and all, after a hour or so.… Expand
1 of 1 users found this helpful
6
MattP.Jul 16, 2006
What happened? This movie was supposed to be this great artistic breakthrough, but it just turned out to be a muddled mess of of over thought ideas and an animated style that was completely worthless and took away from the story. The What happened? This movie was supposed to be this great artistic breakthrough, but it just turned out to be a muddled mess of of over thought ideas and an animated style that was completely worthless and took away from the story. The promising cast fell into the void of playing cartoon characters, except for Ryder, who's performance is the saving grace. Badly paced, mediocre acting, and what was with the animation??!!… Expand
1 of 1 users found this helpful
5
BillW.Jul 21, 2006
I'm a huge fan of Linklater's film and loved Waking Life, where we first saw this animation approach. That being said, the movie just never grabbed me. I thought there was quite a bit of overacting, but the story is prettyI'm a huge fan of Linklater's film and loved Waking Life, where we first saw this animation approach. That being said, the movie just never grabbed me. I thought there was quite a bit of overacting, but the story is pretty convoluted, as it's seen through the eyes of drug addicts. Ultimately, when all is revealed, I found I just didn't really care. The moments of interest were so far spaced that it lost me, and I left the movie without feeling the need to ever devote another second of contemplation as to what I had just seen.… Expand
1 of 1 users found this helpful
5
KentC.Jan 14, 2008
Artistic creativity and vision isn't enough to change the confusing plot.
1 of 1 users found this helpful
5
Compi24Aug 15, 2013
Mesmerizing visuals aside, Richard Linklater's "A Scanner Darkly" is a mostly unfulfilling crawl through meandering dialogue and some decidedly vapid events.
1 of 1 users found this helpful10
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6
SpangleJun 9, 2016
Though incredibly interesting, A Scanner Darkly is never as good as I wished it was. Using really unique animation and an off-beat tone courtesy of director Richard Linklater, A Scanner Darkly is an interestingly put together film that justThough incredibly interesting, A Scanner Darkly is never as good as I wished it was. Using really unique animation and an off-beat tone courtesy of director Richard Linklater, A Scanner Darkly is an interestingly put together film that just feels...off. Aside from the aforementioned tone, it feels somehow unsatisfactory like a meal that tastes pretty good, but is not filling. In addition, its plotting can be a little convoluted at times that creates problems when trying to follow the plot of the film. While far from perfect, A Scanner Darkly is too interestingly put together to ignore thanks to Linklater's typically stellar writing and direction, plus the unique approach to Philip K. Dick's source material. Overall, A Scanner Darkly is pretty good to ok and works well in terms of messages and themes, but is just too off-putting and average to really excel.… Expand
0 of 0 users found this helpful00
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