Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas is a tough film to review since it's not really a film as much as it is an experience. There is no plot, little character development and no discernable structure. It's basically 2 dudes doing a lot of drugs, having adventures, running into a lot of recognizable actors making cameo's and generally fucking around. It's also a whole lot of fun.
There's no point in trying to describe the plot because, as stated, there isn't one. Director Terry Gilliam uses Hunter S. Thompson's source material as a jumping off point but never really explains the motivations of Raoul Duke and Dr. Gonzo like the book does. That's fine because the film he presents is a journey of two whacked out guys who's motivations probably wouldn't matter all that much in the end. What does matter is the visual trickery Gilliam uses, the often hilarious dialogue Johnny Depp and Benicio Del Toro spew and their drug induced actions. This isn't a film that's going to hold up well to intense scrutiny, it's best just to give up and go along for the ride.
Fear and Loathing is far to soft of a film to ever be considered a demo choice but the Criterion version is far better than the original blu-ray. Colors are strong, detail is pretty good and in general there is little to complain about. There are two different lossless audio options available, a 2.0 track and a 5.1 mix. I watched with the 5.1 while switching over to the 2.0 on occasion. Neither one is going to blow anyone away but they are both solid choices. The film is almost entirely dialogue based and on both tracks that comes through loud and clear. This just isn't a film with a great surround track mix and that's fine.
While It's hardly for everyone, Fear and Loathing is a fun, weird and dark trip that is unlike almost any other movie I've ever seen. Instantly quotable, visually impressive and just plain fucked up is the best way to describe it. There's nothing wrong with that.
Ratings:
Movie: 4.5
Blu-ray: 4.5
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