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David Cronenberg and a vast majority of his films are fascinating and unlike any seen before. As said before, he was/is a pioneer of body horror, but on top of being disturbing and making one feel intentionally uncomfortable the best of his work (the likes of 'Dead Ringers' and 'The Fly') entertain and stir emotion. They are very well made and more often than that boast great performances, with great music scores (mostly Howard Shore) and tackle daring themes in a way that is so unmistakably Cronenberg.
'Scanners' is an early film of Cronenberg. For me, it is not one of his very best or one of my top favourites of his, other films of his were more refined technically somewhat (a few innovative even, like 'Dead Ringers with the split screen) and tackled their themes deeper. It is though one of his best early films, one of his most ambitious early films in terms of themes and concept and perhaps the first "great" one. Ranking it among the rest of his filmoragphy 'Scanners' again from personal opinion is towards the top half.
While not quite one of his best looking films overall, 'Scanners' still does look impressive. Looking much better and more technically advanced than his previous films. There is a lot of atmosphere in the way 'Scanners' is shot and lit and the special effects blend well surprisingly and look much less cheap than a lot of horrors made later. Shore's score is suitably eerie, without ever being obvious, and adds a lot to the unsettlement, if not quite among my favourites of his Cronenberg collaborations. Prefer slightly when he went for the story's emotional core like he did wih particularly 'The Fly'.
Cronenberg's direction is accomplished enough, balances the ambitious (for this early period) expertly and how he depicts the body and how difficult it is to control it is one of 'Scanners' most intriguing assets. The script avoids being too cheesy or clunky and the story is much better than full on horror, which does genuinely disturb and surprise without being gratuitous, but there are elements of sci-fi, which intrigues and thrills, and thriller, where there is just about the right amount of suspense.
The set pieces in 'Scanners' are stunning and suitably churn the stomach. Much has been said for the exploding heads, deservedly so as it is one of the most memorable in any Cronenberg film, but the final apocalyptic battle is a sheer delight. When it comes to the acting, Patrick McGoohan is a welcome sympathetic presence, McGoohan did this trait very well, and Jennifer O'Neill does a lot with her role. The one that stuck out to me though was a deliciously evil Michael Ironside.
Only Stephen Lack's very "lacking" (sorry) acting is a drawback, so painfully limited.
Lack aside, 'Scanners' is otherwise a great landmark genre near-classic. 9/10
