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Live by technology, die by technology. A saying that doesn’t bold well for cyber lovers like myself and definitely didn't help the new Richard
Linklater (The School of Rock) directed film. A Scanner Darkly has a terrific cast, witty dialogue and an intriguing story line. It based on the
novel and personal drug problems of novelist Philip K. Dick (Minority Report, Total Recall, Blade Runner) and makes you ponder the state of drug
enforcement in our society. Elements that could have made for a terrific movie.

Bob Arctor (Keanu Reeves) works as an undercover narcotics officer seven years in the future where special suits allow agents to be totally kept
secret from one another. He is assigned to spy on a drug ring that involves his friends and roommates but things get twisted when he is asked to start surveillance on himself. It is then he gets paranoid about who the mole in the operation truly is.  But due to the suits and hidden identities it is impossible to truly decipher anything or anyone.

The writing makes this movie. The paranoid banter between Arctor’s friends James Barris (Robert Downey Jr.) and Ernie Luckman (Woody Harrelson) is quick, witty and perfectly delivered. Especially by Downey. Full of government paranoia and a fascination with firearms and explosives Barris is a well-written character that upstages Reeves throughout. Winona Ryder completes the ensemble as Arctor’s girlfriend. The plot is far from predictable and as any movie should do, makes me want to read the book.

Unfortunately we need to talk about what doesn’t work in this movie. Namely the new form of animation used. As the movie’s website states; “It is a process where live action film is overlaid with advanced animation, called interpolated rotoscoping. This frees animators from having to hand-draw each line in every frame. Instead the computer connects fluid lines and brush strokes across a wide range of frames to create lifelike human movement.” My question is, why? In a world of CGI they could have enhanced the parts they needed to and cut down on the distractions of this new type of film process. It is too “busy” in a movie where focus on characters is key. The only thing it does achieve is giving a drug induced look to a movie about drug use.

A Scanner Darkly is rated R for drug and sexual content, language and a brief violent image. Don’t let Linklater’s last film The School of Rock fool
you into thinking this is just as tame. There are many adult themes in this one and totally out of the realm of younger audiences. Fans of Philip K. Dick’s writing and new forms of movie making will find this a well-received flick and a possible cult classic. Personally I give it 3.5 out of 5 little
blue pills. Would have been higher (no pun intended) had it not been for the distracting animation. With a look at A Scanner Darkly, I’m Matt Mungle

The Mungle 7/12/2006

Matt is a member of the North Texas Film Critics Association (NTFCA) and hosts the weekly syndicated Indie Rock Radio Show Spin 180. Plus with his wife Cindy they do a weekly radio feature, The Mungles on Movies. For additional reviews and interview clips visit the website www.mungleshow.com