Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas (1998)

What a beautiful movie!

A Disappointing Continuation

A story that's too fascinating to pass by...

Blistering performances.

When I learned that Johnny Depp was in the movie, I thought it would be fun to watch... It's not! This is the most boring movie I ever seen! There isn't a proper plot for this movie. Just two man who were doing drugs all the time and their stupid reactions. I'm sorry, just a waste of time!

One of a kind, drug laced odyssey from virtuoso filmmaker Terry Gilliam, based on the writings of notorious "gonzo journalist" Hunter S. Thompson. Johnny Depp stars as an alter ego for the writer, a man named Raoul Duke who embarks on a crazed journey to (and through) Las Vegas, the ultimate den of decadence in the U.S. of A. He's joined by his psychopathic lawyer, referred to only as "Dr. Gonzo" (Benicio Del Toro). Ostensibly on assignment to cover a motorcycle race, he finds his time taken up more heavily by his other pursuits.This viewer could see right away that, despite not being terribly familiar with Thompson or his writings, this would not be to all tastes. It's loud, garish, and over the top, filled almost non-stop with hallucinatory visuals (those "lounge lizards" designed by Rob Bottin are a treat) and very skewed perspectives. People do have to be prepared for such things as a close-up of vomit landing in a toilet bowl. But this viewer could also see that this is NOT exactly "pointless". Thompson does have some interesting things to observe, and comments on the entire "counter culture" era of the 1960s and early 1970s (this story takes place in 1971). It's also a pretty scathing indictment of mindless hedonism and substance abuse in ANY day and age; while a great deal of the visuals may be rooted in this era, they'll certainly have additional resonance for any person who lived through that turbulent time in American history. At just under two hours, "Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas" does go on for quite a bit, but the robust, go for broke filmmaking and performances do hold some fascination.Depp completely immerses himself in his role, and is very damn funny (his narration is often a hoot); Del Toro likewise impresses as the often out of control lawyer. The cast is filled with cameos by famous people (Ellen Barkin, Lyle Lovett, Katherine Helmond (a Gilliam regular), Flea, Tobey Maguire, Christina Ricci, Mark Harmon, Tim Thomerson, Gary Busey, Harry Dean Stanton, etc.) and top notch character actors such as Larry Cedar, Richard Riehle, Richard Portnow, Steve Schirripa, Troy Evans, Jenette Goldstein, and Michael Jeter.This film establishes a tone early on, and maintains an element of surrealism throughout its entire running time. It may not appeal to a broad, mainstream audience, but some people are sure to just love it.Seven out of 10.

To me, the best movies feel like dreams... or nightmares. Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas (1998) is very much the latter.It is fearlessly ugly. The canted, garish visuals and weird voice-over narration make you feel as though you're on drugs like the main characters, and the trip is not a good one. The world of this movie is threatening. It's a world of physical and moral decay, the graveyard of the American Dream that Raoul Duke is searching for throughout the story.Some may find this movie obnoxious or trashy, and there are moments where it leaves you utterly exhausted. If you are a person who gets what I have often heard termed "Gilliam fatigue," then Fear and Loathing will push you past your limit. But I like how it dares to be grotesque. Had the filmmakers been any softer or sentimental, the movie just would not work. The movie can be hard to stomach, but an appreciation for dark, twisted humor can help this bitter pill go down.

Although widely considered a cult classic, this movie is almost unwatchable for the average viewer. The depiction of the LSD experience and general visual approach of Terry Gilliam is interesting as always, but that's hardly enough to support an entire movie. Even the slightest sign of a plot would have helped enormously, but the film is just a stitching of scenes comprising of... pretty much nothing at all. The movie's subsequent cult success is probably due to the fact that people with drug experiences can identify with certain events of the movie, but definitely, experiencing an acid trip yourself must be much more enjoyable than living it through the eyes of a bald Johnny Depp.