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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.''
10/10
