Directed by, Terry Gilliam, Starring: Johnny Depp & Benicio Del Toro"We were somewhere around Barstow, on the edge of the desert, when the drugs began to take hold"
Possibly the most popular of all the movies made that are inspired by famous journalist Hunter S. Thompson (Gonzo), "Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas," is a hysterically surreal film. Alongside his Samoan attorney Dr. Gonzo (Benicio Del Toro), Journalist Raol Duke (Johnny Depp) narrates the chronicles of their drug induced and idiosyncratic odyssey through Las Vegas. (although the attorney is called "Gonzo" in the film, Raol Duke is the character who is based off of the real Dr. Gonzo). The journey is seemingly ambition-less and extremely clouded with freakish and dream-like adventures into the extraordinary depths of the subconscious mind that only hard narcotics can guide you to. There are numerous cameos made thoughout the film, including Cameron Diaz and Tobey Maguire, which makes for superb and interesting interactions between our protagonist and those he runs into. Bring along your thinking caps, but still be prepared for confusion, because this film is omnipresent all at once.
Though many would disagree, I would classify this as Johnny Depp's best performance. The way he narrates the story and captures the quirkiness of the character is what makes the movie so fun and bizarre! With Benicio Del Toro at his side as the attorney, the mixture of their kooky and crazy personalities makes the story come to life in a bugged out sort of way.
All in All, if your looking for a serious movie about drug abuse and the trials and troubles it brings to the lost souls who have let it take over their now wretched and abhorred lives...Then run as fast as you can away from this film, for it makes dangerous and mind melting narcotics look like a thrill ride through a dreamland of large reptiles, flocks of bats, Richard Nixon and Acapulco shirts!
My Rating: Spicy
