Always Right Movie Review'dustries

Don't do drugs...

UNLESS

you would enjoy having a creature with hundreds of eyes read you a list of your sins for all eternity
or
you would enjoy purchasing an 18-speed bike, then find yourself wondering how you managed to get ripped off so badly when you realize that it is only a 9-speed bike (there are only 6 gears in the back and 3 in the front, after all)
or
you would enjoy creating and using a home-made silencer that successfully manages to amplify gunshots
or
you would enjoy having aphids crawling all over you 24/7

A Scanner Darkly is set 9 years in the future, a future where the United States has basically lost the war on drugs as upwards of 20% of the population is addicted to a mysterious new drug known as Substance D. In response, the U.S. government has stepped up surveillance of its citizens to an unprecedented level. However, to avoid completely filling all of the jails, the attention of the police is focused on attempting to take down those responsible for Substance D rather than trying to arrest all of the users.

Bob Arctor is an undercover narcotics agent who is addicted to Substance D and lives with 3 other addicts. However, Bob spends his time as a narc agent inside of a scramble suit, which serves to hide his identity even from his employers. Therefore, Bob is stunned when he is tasked with spying on Bob Arctor, as Bob is suspected of being a high-level dealer or perhaps even a drug-terrorist of some kind. Scanners are installed inside of Bob's home to help him with his job of spying on himself.

As time goes by, Bob's grip on reality continues to ebb away as his reliance on Substance D becomes stronger. Eventually, feeling as though he can no longer see inside himself, Bob begins to hope that watching the scanner's recordings can give him the insight inside of himself that he no longer has. Eventually things get so bad that it appears as if Bob's only hope is to check himself into one of the mysterious drug-recovery centers known as the New Path. But if he does, what will become of his job as a narcotics agent and his drug-addicted friends?

Overall, A Scanner Darkly is a very faithful adaptation of its source material, the book A Scanner Darkly by Philip K. Dick. It is perhaps one of the weirdest, most whacked out movies that I have ever seen, and I mean that in a good way. I would not be opposed to showing this movie in health classes in public schools, because its anti-drug message comes through loud and clear. Granted, this movie is not for everyone, especially those who do not feel they could stand catching a glimpse into the mind of drug-addicts, but it was certainly one of the most unique movies that I have ever seen. Therefore, I'm going to give this one a rating of Unstoppable.

If you haven't already seen it, do so. Even if you don't like it, how often do you get the opportunity to see an R-rated animated movie?