*Originally written August 25th, 2017*
"What a trip"
Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas isn't a film, it's a trip. In a way, it's pure cinema. Pure unfiltered insanity into the worst place in America. There's no real story, but that's the point. Raoul and Gonzo are just our portal into this world of depravity and filth. You just gotta take a deep breath and take this all in. It's chaotic, messy and disorganised. Like a real drug trip.
Hunter S. Thompson is an infinitely interesting character (I really need to read the book) and I take no hyperbole here when I say this is the best performance of Johnny Depp's career. I know he's known for his campy, weird roles, but in 1998 he peaked, delivering a never ending quote machine and iconic Raoul Duke.
Gilliam's a director I've never got on with, but his style here shines. Painting Las Vegas as the centre point of everything wrong with America. It's vile, grotesque and just a bit terrifying. The tripping sequences are handled with pure disorganized chaos and cinema still has yet to see a better portrayal of drugs on screen. Well, maybe 2013's Filth.
I sound very positive about Fear and Loathing, but as much as I do like it. I find it very hard to digest and sit through. At two hours with no real story, it drags and gets a little on my nerves. You can grapple onto a performance all you want for 120 minutes, but for me, it just gets a little too much.
I do love the ending though and I plan to get a "Too Weird to Live to Rare to Die" tattoo at some point in my life.
I chose to watch this as a silly little bit of prep to my trip to Reading Festival in the morning, where I hope to be equally as off my head as Johnny Depp in this.
Now get out of here, this is Bat Country.
6/10 Dans
Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas is out now on Blu-ray and DVD in the UK
Watch the trailer below:
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