A Scanner Darkly
In the near-future the US government is facing a drugs epidemic. One of its undercover operatives, codenamed ‘Fred’ but working amongst the junkies and dropouts as Bob Arctor, finds himself drawn too closely into the world of the addicts as he tries to locate the source of the notorious narcotic Substance D. Arctor’s work causes him to become as addicted as the very people he is investigating as he attempts to unravel the shocking truth behind the nation’s drugs problem.
A Scanner Darkly is adapted from a novel of the same name, written by visionary science fiction author Philip K Dick. A number of Dick’s works have been given the cinematic treatment over the years but even Blade Runner, for all its moral questioning and chillingly convincing future world, fell short in portraying the full scope of the story that inspired it. In that sense, A Scanner Darkly is possibly the most faithful Dick adaptation to date. This is mainly due to the efforts of director Richard Linklater, who took the visual techniques of his earlier film Waking Life and used them to bring Arctor’s drug-addled experiences to the screen.
A Scanner Darkly dealt with two parallel themes: a conspiracy/crime thriller story arc was interspersed with a more jovial but sometimes more frightening portrayal of drug culture. Dick drew from personal experiences with narcotics to realise the Trainspotting-style (mis)adventures of Arctor and his drug-addicted friends, which are crammed full of babbling dialogue, mind-bending visuals and an overwhelming sense that reality is not as it seems.
The film was at one point intended to be directed by Terry Gilliam (looking at the excellent job he made of Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas, I don’t think it would have been such a bad thing) but Linklater’s trademark rotoscoping techniques that blend with the live action are perfect for many of Scanner…’s most distinctive aspects. The animation techniques could have been made specially for scramble suits for instance, such is their authenticity; I doubt those strange items of clothing could have been shown any other way convincingly. Other moments, such as the hallucinogenic, substance D-fuelled scenes, are as close to actual tripping as many viewers are likely to experience.
The other pervading theme, that of the government conspiracy and feelings of paranoia, is more evident than in the book, which was no doubt a decision on the part of Linklater after a look at the current world’s political climate. Arctor’s tenuous grip on reality is strained by a double-whammy of paranoia and confusion: substance D is messing with his head and separating the personae of Fred the investigator and Arctor the undercover cop, while he is coming to terms with the fact that his cover is so deep that his superiors have assigned him to covertly monitor himself and his friends.
As aware as I am of what a pleasant guy Keanu Reeves is as a person, I’m not convinced of his skills as an actor. Fortunately the ‘baffled everyman’ personality of Arctor is no stretch for his often wooden performances; besides, Robert Downey Jr.’s take on the maniacal Barris steals every scene he appears in anyway. The rest of the acting talent on show here, including Winona Ryder, Rory Cochrane and Woody Harrelson, are perfectly cast for the parts they play and inject some much-needed humour and humanity into the proceedings. The soundtrack is suitably quirky and off-kilter too, with some of the songs provided by Thom Yorke and his Radiohead bandmates.
In closely following the original story, Linklater’s screenplay inherits the book’s flaws as well as its strengths. Although the film remains unbiased in its moral stance of drug taking (in that it is neither outwardly preachy nor glorifying drug culture), the lengthy stoner banter between Arctor, Barris and their companions can be a little wearing at times and the rotoscoping style of the visuals is not to everyone’s taste. Furthermore, the film could have done with being a little longer in its runtime because some parts of the story, such as Arctor’s mental breakdown, require prior knowledge of the book to appreciate their significance. With the drug-filled moments interrupting the crime thriller aspect it is easy for the audience to feel as lost as Arctor does and a second viewing may be required to fully appreciate the background to his mission - confusion may have been Linklater’s (and Dick’s) original intention but viewers won’t thank him for it.
In Summary
In going out of his way to be faithful to the source material, Linklater has done P K Dick’s cautionary tale of drug use and government control justice with A Scanner Darkly. It is visually impressive, well acted by all involved and will no doubt earn the indie cult status it deserves. At times its unusual atmosphere and storytelling make the plot feel slightly rushed but overall this is an individual and striking film that will leave many fans satisfied.
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