Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas Reviews

(BLU) Saw this after Alex Gibney's doc on Hunter Thompson; and yeah, there's a neat effort by Gilliam, Depp, Del Toro and script, to cope with Thompson's gonzosploitaition. Its not irreverent, is cruel and depravating and somehow structured and with limits. Even the limits are overacted...

I already saw this movie, I even saw it in the movie theater when it was released, but since it was a while back, I was quite eager to check it out again. To be honest, I always had some mixed feelings about this movie which managed to become a cult-classic but I'm not sure if it really deserved all these praises. The funny thing is that, when I first watched it, I was a major stoner so, at the time, it was certainly pretty awesome to see these two guys embracing so completely this life style. Ok, I have to admit I never indulged myself in so much drugs like they did but I certainly could understand what they were chasing. Well, more than 20 years later, I've become completely sober and, yet, I was still able to appreciate this movie, above all, because I could still relate to these guys who were so messed-up and, yet, still really entertaining to follow. To be honest, I was surprised by how little I actually remembered the damned thing and, after all these years, I understood why many people, like Roger Ebert, didn't like it at all. In my opinion, the main issue with this movie is that it is just too long and too repetitive. Still, the damned thing was visually really neat and it definitely had some wacky moments. Above all, Johnny Depp and Benicio Del Toro completely nailed it and they were often actually quite hilarious. At least, back in those days, Johnny Depp was still one of the most fascinating actors in the world and this movie was absolutely miles better than all the garbage he is making nowadays. Anyway, even if I don’t think it is a masterpiece, it is still a decent watch and it is definitely worth a look, especially if you are interested in Terry Gilliam's work.

Let me give you a little preview, this movie was directed by Terry Gilliam, the guy behind the overrated 'Life of Brian', the overrated 'Monty Python and the Holy Grail' and the overrated '12 Monkeys', it seems like every movie this guy created have turned into "a cult classic", and while the movies i mentioned weren't terrible, in fact most of them are decent or below decent, but i'm pretty much okay with them, but 'Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas' is where i draw the line, because it was pure randomness.

It tells the story of two stoners, played by Johnny Depp and Benicio Del Toro, the character played by Johnny Depp is actually Hunter S. Thompson, the writer of this movie, as he works for 'Rolling Stone' and he goes to Las Vegas along with his attorney to cover A motorcycle rally, and that's the entire story, he goes to las vegas and end up going from one place to another while stoned, the entire movie is those two guys being stoned and not making any sense, so how this movie was well received by audience is beyond comprehension.

Even, when i'm saying that "the entire movie is about two stoners going to las vegas", that line might be an overstatement, because the movie was much less than that, every sentence was written for this movie didn't make any sense, the camera work gave me a migrate, there weren't any jokes in this "comedy", there weren't any dialog, most scenes were way too short and not settle, stoners performances were very stoned, many scenes were random and disgusting, and overall, you can't laugh when you have a migrate from the camera work, and you have no idea what's going on, and the movie was way too long to enjoy, two hours of complete randomness were too much for the normal brain.

Furthermore, this movie had so many cameos from great actors, like Tobey Maguire, Camerona Diaz, Gary Busey, Mark Harmon, Richard Riehle, Gregory Itzin and Christina Ricci, but the movie never uses those people, they were just there within frame, most of them didn't even have a line, and the ones that did, it was just as bad as the two leads character, adding insult to injury, they even managed to make Christopher Meloni character annoying.

You watch movies like 'The Hangover' and you think, well, that was very funny, and kinda random, so why this isn't, because this movie didn't have any interesting characters, nothing was happening, and nothing made sense, scenes were too short and too many, it was very hard to focus on something, just when you start to engage a little bit into a conversation, the scene ends, it was very hard to get through and not funny at all, even terrible comedies can make you laugh once or twice, this one never.

Two hours have rarely felt like two or three times that length as consistently as they do during Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas. It’s hard to completely write off the film as a total loss, but only just barely so. Terry Gilliam can craft a visually arresting sequence with tremendous ease, but he doesn’t always attach a reason for that visual’s existence. And Fear & Loathing is nothing but that – a string of visuals with no rhyme or reason for their existence with no development in story, character or interest in any of the mechanics of a successful narrative. So what we’re left with is a film that plods along repeating the basic conceit that we see in the very beginning – our characters get very high, hallucinate some weird shit, get into trouble, get out of trouble, move on to the next location, repeat for two incredibly long hours that become an exercise in tedium.

Much of the interest generated in the film is from rubbernecking at random bit parts played by a host of stars – Ellen Barkin, Camerona Diaz, Tobey Maguire, Gary Busey, Flea, Mark Harmon, Katherine Helmond, Lyle Lovett, Christina Ricci and Michael Jeter all have small parts which range from glorified cameos to minor supporting roles. It does become a little bit like “Spot the star” as we amble from one scenario to the next, but it is interesting debating about who is going to show up next and what they’ll be doing. It’s a pity that pretty much all of them are wasted though, with the lone exception possibly being Barkin in a horrifying scene late in the film in which the drugs come down and the violence goes up.

The only other thing of interest, and the lone reason why the film manages to stick together and not come ripping apart into a million pieces, is Johnny Depp’s central performance. Often giving a one-man show, or acting off a barely recognizable Benicio Del Toro, Depp forsakes vanity to appear frequently balding, bug-eyed and with a lizard tail. It’s a strange performance, even on the bell curve of strange Depp performances. But it’s also a reminder of how exciting and original an actor he is that this offbeat character is played by the same man who gave such soul to Edward Scissorhands. Now that is range.

I cannot in good conscious recommend this film for many reasons beyond Depp’s performance, some of Gilliam’s visuals and the parade of random cameos from big name stars. Outside of these three things, Fear & Loathing is a film that goes nowhere slowly, content to just mumble to itself and walk in circles without bothering to develop the characters beyond our initial introduction to them or give a reason for the insanity. Unlike, say, Trainspotting or Requiem for a Dream, it crafts realistic drug-induced imagery but doesn’t give it an aim or a purpose. There is no “why” to any of this, but if you’ve got two hours to spare and are a big fan of either Depp or Gilliam, I suppose there are worse films to watch?

trashed!! I loved it dont think it will be everyones cup of tea. there are quite a few "what the £"!" moments"..

Give us your brain for two hours and you will never be the same again!
Best movie about and/or revovling around drugs! Though many come close (including another role Johnny Depp played as a main character in a drug movie) no ther movies truley capture the insanity inside an acid trip or a cocaine bindge quite like Fear and Laothing. The scary (and amazing) thing about this film is that is was based on events from wirter and 20th century legend Hunter S. Thompson. I am not one to do heavy drugs but even as a pothead I can relate to the film's abstract views of both main character's highs. Contrary to what you think , there is an actual plot to this film. Raoul Duke and his lawyer Dr. Gonzo travel to Las Vegas to write a cover story on the sand dune racing taking place; and don't even get a page done. Writing about other things and experiences going on at their stay turned into something way more interesting and trippy. Broken glass, Ketchup stained on the beureu, young girls obsessed with painting barbara Striensand portriats. This movie has it all! I was so amazed about the drug mentioned in this film called Adrenochrome (made out of the human adrelain gland) that i wrote a song with one of my bands about it. Very well put together and seeing Gary Busey, Christopher Meloni, and Toby Maguire's characters cracked me up. someday I will get something from this movie tattooed on me and I will post the picture of it. By then i am hoping to see no one WANTIG to see this movie and everyone SEEN this. Pick up a 20 bag or a tab of acid and pop this movie on; prepare for an awesome experience!

Raoul Duke: There's a uh, big machine in the sky, some kind of, I dunno, electric snake, coming straight at us.
Dr. Gonzo: Shoot it.
Raoul Duke: Not yet, I want to study its habits.

''A drug person can learn to cope with things like seeing their dead grandmother crawling up their leg with a knife in her teeth. But no one should be asked to handle this trip.''

An oddball journalist and his psychopathic lawyer travel to Las Vegas for a series of psychadelic escapades.

Johnny Depp: Raoul Duke

Saying that Terry Gilliam makes weird films is like making one of the biggest understatements of the year. This man has taunted us with weird offerings like Brazil, 12 Monkeys, Tideland, Brothers Grimm and now this Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas I've had the good fortune to experience on a random viewing via Sky Movies.



Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas results in a heightened crazed thrill ride that ultimately dazzles in a surreal way. Granted it's about some drug users you can forgive the maddened proceedings that occur. Some viewers may lose track or find some scenes pointless or confusing but if they do, the film in essence is succeeding in showing you the mind of a drug drowned mind.
The style of Fear and Loathing reminded me of the equally heart pumping, crazed Natural Born Killers in the fact it's pace never seems to slow, it's always on a speedy rush to a far destination, much like it's drugged up anti-heroes. Always high and hallucinating, on the run from life itself in a way.

''There he goes. One of God's own prototypes. A high-powered mutant of some kind never even considered for mass production. Too weird to live, and too rare to die.''

The performances that are on offer are excellent and the range of extended cameos seems to be frequent.
Johnny Depp as Raoul Duke, what can I say? Well it's definitely another weird role that goes along side Charlie and the Chocolate Factory's Willy Wonka, Edward Scissorhands or the strange Ed Wood. Depp is bald, always wearing his sunglasses, always high as a kite, always smoking ceaselessly in a blur of colour and unrivaled chaos. He sees bats, Lizards and a number of strange visions in which substances are the blame.
Equally Benicio Del Toro as Dr. Gonzo or Oscar Z. Acosta, gives us a knock out performance as is fellow friend and associate so called Lawyer. Let's face it, Del Toro always seems to look like he does drugs so he's right at home here among the array of random scenarios.
Tobey Maguire as a random weird looking hitch-hiker, Christina Ricci as a Barbara Streisand painting lover/artist Lucy, and a brief appearance by Cameron Diaz as a smiley TV Reporter. It all clicks and all adds to the bizarre occurrences.

''Bazooko's Circus is what the whole hep world would be doing Saturday nights if the Nazis had won the war. This was the Sixth Reich.''

The music and effects are warped also and there's definitely originality on offer here. I mean this is one of the most surreal, weirdest book adaptations out there. No wonder Gilliam made a film adaptation of it, it's right up his street literally.

Cinematography is as bizarre as the film itself, being above average in places yet patchy in others.
The plot is quite literally about drugs and two interesting characters so it's hard to say if there is a plot with all the chaotic things that happen.

Overall, If you're a big fan of Depp or Terry Gilliam I'd definitely suggest you see this for it's interesting take on Las Vegas, drugs and events that seem pointless but intriguing. You even get to see Depp smoking, shaded and indeed bald. The fact he's getting high all the time also is an excuse for a laugh.

''The possibility of physical and mental collapse is now very real. No sympathy for the Devil, keep that in mind. Buy the ticket, take the ride.''

Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas is pure crack (quite literally) and that's why it's so brilliant! It's hard to predict what's going to happen but you can bet that it's most likely going to be something very strange and that, I think, is the beauty of the movie.

After seeing some interviews about the man he's portraying, I think Depp was simply fantastic. Hunter S. Thompson sure is an interesting character!

Remember kids, drugs are bad! ;D