Review of Scanners (1981) by Dave G — 03 Mar 2010
David Cronenberg has made a name for himself directing unconventional, plot heavy movies and "Scanners" is certainly no different. There is an interesting gem of an idea here, but the longer the movie plods along, the less interested I became.
It's famous for the exploding head sequence, which is amazing and has yet to be equaled. The scanner showdown at the end is fascinatingly gruesome. But those are only two scenes in a movie that runs 105 minutes.
There's a dense story but nothing seems to happen, and characters talk a lot but they never really seem to say anything. MIchael Ironside is a great villain, but where did they find Stephen Lack and what made Cronenberg think he could carry this film? He sleepwalks through the entire film.
Not to mention the logistical problem of how many assassins the government is willing to sacrifice rounding up these Scanners. When you're trying to kill someone with telepathy, it never works out too good for the other guy.
This review of Scanners (1981) was written by Dave G on 03 Mar 2010.
Scanners has generally received positive reviews.
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