A Scanner Darkly Blu-ray Movie

Rating summary

Movie		2.5
Video		5.0
Audio		2.5
Extras		2.5
Overall		3.0

A Scanner Darkly Blu-ray Movie Review

Is the breakthrough animation of A Scanner Darkly worth the price of admission?

Reviewed by Martin Liebman December 27, 2007

You’re either on it, or you haven’t tried it.

In fairness to the rest of the review, I have to say up front that movies that deal with drugs just don't appeal to me at all. Take Goodfellas, for example. Great movie until they began getting into the drug business. That's my own opinion of course, and one that I am sure I share with precious few of you (maybe even none?) but that's me, and I make no apologies for it. I'm more tolerant of shows like Weeds that deal with the culture of drugs rather than the effects of drugs. It's in a way similar to Goodfellas in that it focuses on the business end of drugs rather than the effects of drugs, but the overlying humor of the show won me over to an extent. The types of drug related movies that really turn me off are of the Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas and A Scanner Darkly variety. A Scanner Darkly is certainly not a movie wholly comprised of shot after shot of drug-induced paranoia, but it's there in spades and I find it more of a turn off than anything else. My attraction to this film was based solely on the breakthrough animation style and the fact that it is based on a story by Philip K. Dick, author of numerous stories-turned- movies such as Blade Runner and Total Recall.

The AniKeanu.

Keanu Reeves (Chain Reaction) is Robert Arctor, a.k.a. Agent Fred, a government spy sent to infiltrate a small time drug operation in California. In the near future, the identity of undercover police officers is known to practically nobody so as to allow them to completely immerse themselves into the culture of "Substance D," a highly addictive and dangerous narcotic with hallucinogenic properties. Arctor finds himself leading a double life. He's become a shell of a man, losing his family as he finds himself living deeper into the culture of Substance D users, becoming an addict himself. He associates with fellow paranoid Substance D users James (Robert Downey, Jr., Kiss Kiss Bang Bang), Ernie (Woody Harrelson, No Country For Old Men), and Charles (Rory Cochrane, Hart's War). Arctor soon loses control, and his dual identities become confused as he fails to recall one while acting out the persona of the other. The tale becomes darker and more complex when it turns out that Arctor's romantic interest, Donna (Winona Ryder, Dracula), is revealed to be an undercover narcotics agent herself. As the movie progresses, Arctor must face his addiction, come to terms with who he is and what he has become, and ultimately face terrible consequences as a result of his addiction.

I’ve been told that this movie makes infinitely more sense if you are a drug user. I don't know how that could be true as it is already complicated and confusing in a normal, drug-free state. I've seen this movie twice now and there are still intricacies that elude me. I was eager to see this movie based on the animation style, the attachment of Philip K. Dick's name, and the solid cast of actors in the film. Unfortunately, none of these aspects made the movie especially memorable. In the end, I found the animation to be of a style I don't care to see again in a feature length film. It’s wobbly and awkward, perhaps a purposeful effect to simulate the hallucinations of drugs. On the plus it is a wonder technically but the novelty wears off rather quickly. The story itself, like most of Dick's stories, is complex. Unlike many of his other books turned movies, however, this one lacked any entertainment value, for me anyway. The acting was fine, each actor convincing in their roles, but each character was so odd and "out there" that I found it hard to relate. Perhaps, as I have been told, those who are more familiar than I with the effects of drugs may find the performances and the film as a whole more palatable, but I never could get into the spirit of the film. More than anything, however, the overly convoluted plot was the ultimate deal breaker for me.

A Scanner Darkly Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

A Scanner Darkly is presented in 1080p high definition within a 2.35:1 frame. As I stated above, one of the main attractions of this film is the unique animation style, and this Blu-ray disc recreates it to perfection. This is a wholly digital to digital transfer, and the result is a pristine image that will wow you from beginning to end. No hallucinations or smoke and mirrors are needed here to improve the image quality. Colors are vibrant and black levels are spot on. The animation lines are smooth and the print is in perfect condition. Despite not being a fan of the look of the film, it's reproduction here is top-notch. Had it not been for the animation, I would have been fooled into thinking I was witnessing this live rather than on my television screen. Honestly, there is little to say about the transfer except that it is five star material that should satisfy even the harshest image critic.

A Scanner Darkly Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

As per their norm, Warner has foregone a high definition soundtrack in favor of a low bitrate, DVD quality Dolby Digital 5.1 soundtrack running at 640 kbps. This is a mostly disappointing aural experience, however. Dialogue sounds tiny at times. I had to crank the volume past normal levels to really hear it. Surrounds were in use far too infrequently and as a result the audio will not help immerse the viewer into the world of A Scanner Darkly. The best aspect of this track is that it moves the film along without drawing too much attention to itself. That's both good and bad. You won't be distracted from the story by any real "wow" moments, but the hinderance is that it never does anything to suck you into the film. Fortunately, despite the lack of a true high definition soundtrack, this compressed audio track is not a total loss on this Blu-ray. The positives include fine separation across the front soundstage and effects that pan seamlessly from one speaker to the next across the front, mimicking the on screen action well.. A Scanner Darkly relies totally on the visual presentation and story to draw you in, and that's a shame. This track rates as mediocre at best.

A Scanner Darkly Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

Though lacking in length, the set of supplements included here is quite nice. First off is a commentary track with director/screenwriter Richard Linklater, Keanu Reeves, Isa Dick Hackett, producer Tommy Pallotta, and Phillip K. Dick historian Jonathan Lethem. This is a fascinating commentary. It often goes off into small tangents, such as the place of technology in the present and future, and it's very interesting to listen to. Also included are discussions about recreating pieces of the book for the film, the inspiration for some of the dialogue, and some of the symbolism scattered throughout the film. Dead air rears its ugly head here and there, but it never lasts too long and the conversation usually picks up quickly with some new and interesting tidbits.

Next up is One Summer in Austin: The Story of Filming 'A Scanner Darkly' (480p, 26:25). This is a unique piece that interlaces archival interviews with author Philip K. Dick with chats featuring cast and crew. Discussed are the origins of the story, parallels the cast and crew sees to the goings-on in today's world, and adapting the story for film, modern audiences, and its unique look. The Weight of the Line: Animation Tales (480p, 20:46) is a behind-the scenes look at the grueling one-year process of transferring the filmed images into the unique animation style featured in the final version of the movie. Last and also least is the film's theatrical trailer (480p, 1:59).

A Scanner Darkly Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

A Scanner Darkly offers viewers a unique experience that shows just how far animation technology has progressed over the years. The style suits the mood and theme of the film well, but ultimately I could not embrace it or the film as a whole. It's worth a watch for fans of Philip K. Dick and those interested in the effects of narcotics on society, but ultimately this film fails to deliver much in the way of simple entertainment value. On the technical side, the image quality is nothing short of stunning. Aurally, the disc was a disappointment. The supplements, fortunately, are par for the course, providing solid information on the movie but not stepping above and beyond the realm of "expected." I'd recommend renting this Blu-ray disc before making the decision to purchase.