Review of Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas (1998) by Thorne W — 10 Jul 2011
It's a trip, and that's about the only way to put it. Much of what makes the movie work is Johnny Depp's spot on portrayal of the good Doctor Thompson and the injection of Thompson's prose.
Herein lies the movie's main flaw as well: Hunter S Thompson's writing is so genuinely rich, that the narrative it relates becomes stagnant and boring in comparison. It's absolutely hilarious to watch Johnny Depp and Benecio Del Toro make fools out of themselves, but the high-speed pacing of the first two acts of the movie makes the more serious, contemplative latter half of the film seem to drag on indefinitely.
There's great insight to be found, but the book is considerably better, regardless of how cliched a statement that is, as it offers the brilliance of the movie in the most pure condensed (and vastly more entertaining) form.
This review of Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas (1998) was written by Thorne W on 10 Jul 2011.
Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas has generally received positive reviews.
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