Nerds That Geek Movie Review: 'Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas'

Written by John Edward Betancourt

When you take a moment to reflect upon motion pictures as a whole, one comes to realize that they really only serve one true purpose, to keep us entertained. After all they make us laugh, they make us cry but when the end credits come to a close we are returned to the wonder of our daily lives, mindful of the fact that it's only a movie.

But while that's a colder and more baseline view of film, we all know that sometimes they can mean so much more to us on a personal level. Movies can reach us on a fundamental plane we never knew existed within us. They can inspire us, and change our lives and sometimes, a filmmaker can toy with the medium and create a motion picture that serves as an actual piece of living art that becomes a special and unique experience, as was the case with the 1998 release of Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas.

Now the plot for this particular film, is quite the simple one to say the least. We are introduced to an eccentric drug enthusiast, Raoul Duke. He's a writer with an assignment that will take him and his best friend/lawyer Dr. Gonzo out Las Vegas way where little work will be done, but plenty of drugs will be consumed and wild shenanigans are to follow and well, while that plot is not one that everyone will enjoy, this is still a wonderful and entertaining film that keeps the hardcore base of fans that love Hunter S. Thompson's novel of the same name happy, while giving cinephiles a unique film experience.

Now we won't spend any time talking about the deeper meaning of the story itself. Yes, there is plenty of subtext to be found in the tale to dissect, but this is a story that has been picked apart and analyzed for ages, so instead...let's talk about one big thing here, the fact that this motion picture truly is a work of living art. Director Terry Gilliam, known for his proclivity to create a visual feast for his fans on film, out does himself on this one. He has created a wild and waking nightmare on screen, where we in essence step into Duke's mind, and see the incredible things happening in his brain and while one would expect that to be disturbing and unwholesome because 'drugs' are involved, it's actually quite fascinating simply due to the fact, I can't really think of any other directors that have tried such a feat and also because, it draws you into the story.  You're now part of Duke, able to share his experiences and just like that...you're part of a world of debauchery and there's no escaping until the screen fades to black.

But the amazing visuals don't end there. Gilliam uses all kinds of spectacular color techniques to give every frame life, as though Duke sees the world through different eyes than the rest of us. Neon is brighter, the desert has a new life to it and that's really why this is one of my all time favorite films. It's not about a deeper meaning or a powerful script, it's simply about transporting us to another time, and another place to live a life that few of us know. It's an experience and when you couple that with incredible performances from Johnny Depp and Benecio Del Toro, you're left with an outright masterpiece, living art if you will, and a motion picture that is simply unlike any other. If you haven't seen this one, do so and go in with zero expectations so that you're able to appreciate a true modern classic that brings to life the strangest parts of our imagination.

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