Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas (1998)*

Based on the novel by Hunter S. Thompson about... about... well, about Las Vegas. Sort of. Directed by Terry Gilliam.

It never ceases to amaze me how closely this movie follows the book. Both are absolutely nuts, but this movie truly captures the feeling of the book. Johnny Depp does a fantastic job, truly becoming Hunter S. Thompson, and Benicio Del Toro does a terrific job being absolutely crazy, based as he was on Acosta.

There's no real point in describing the "plot", needless to say it's about two guys who go to Las Vegas. A lot of people seem to think (both positively and negatively) that the movie is nothing more than an excuse to show them doing lots of drugs (and therefore a glorification of drug use). I think it goes a little deeper than that. These are not role models - these are scary, freaky guys. Especially Dr. Gonzo. He's almost constantly violent, and the drugs he takes do not help his demeanor. You would not want to get stuck with these guys, and you can tell that they make almost everyone they meet uncomfortable.

But it is talking about Thompson's feelings about where he is: he reminsces about the sixties, a high point for him, and we see that the rest of the world has passed him by. He reflects on what life was like then, and we see the difference now. It's as though time has passed them by. Thompson is a stranger in a world that he no longer fully understands.

The entire movie is filmed to put the audience at unease. Perspectives become skewed, especially when we shift to the view point of one of the main characters during a drug trip. The narrative will flash forward and back, and sometimes it becomes difficult to figure out what is real and what's fake.

Gilliam seems well suited to adapting Thompson's work. He does an excellent job here, presenting a film experience that is unlike anything else. The camera work is fantastic, and the performances are top notch.