RottenTomatoes.com
Log In | Register | What is RT?
RT's Blu-ray HQ
  • Home
  • Movies
  • DVD
  • Celebrities
  • News
  • Critics
  • Trailers & Pictures
  • CommunityBeta
  • Box Office
  • | In Theaters
  • | Opening
  • | Upcoming
  • | Best Of
  • | Certified Fresh
  • | Showtimes
RT Search Powered by Google
help icon Enhanced RT
searches on Google
Click here to turn on enhanced search results from RT on your Google searches.
 
Movies / On DVD / A Scanner Darkly
A Scanner Darkly

Rate this Movie Help Icon

  • Write a Review
  • Read Reviews
  • Add to List
  • Get this Movie
  • Buy Poster External Icon
  • Visit Official Site External Icon
Bookmark and Share

A Scanner Darkly (2006)

  • T-Meter Critics
  • Top Critics
  • RT Community
  • My Critics
  • My Friends
  • DVD
67 %
Tomatometer
Template ImageTemplate Image

How does the Tomatometer work Help Icon

Reviews Counted:166

Fresh:112

Rotten:54

Average Rating:6.5/10

Consensus: A faithful adaptation of Philip K. Dick's novel, A Scanner Darkly takes the viewer on a visual and mind-blowing journey into the author's conception of a drug-addled and politically unstable world.

Rated: R [See Full Rating] for drug and sexual content, language and a brief violent image

Runtime: 1 hr 40 mins

Genre: Action/Adventure

Theatrical Release:Jul 7, 2006 Limited

Box Office: $5,281,537

Synopsis: Richard Linklater's adaptation of Philip K. Dick's classic novel is a challenging, mind-bending experience that cautions about the dangers of excessive drug use as well as the government's capacity... Richard Linklater's adaptation of Philip K. Dick's classic novel is a challenging, mind-bending experience that cautions about the dangers of excessive drug use as well as the government's capacity to abuse and manipulate power. Using the same interpolated rotoscoping technique that Linklater employed in 2001's WAKING LIFE, the film is an animated, trippy descent into one man's unraveling mind. Set in the not-too-distant future where a new drug, substance D, has created an epidemic, A SCANNER DARKLY charts the mental unraveling of Bob Arctor (Keanu Reeves). Arctor is an undercover cop who has been assigned to track a group of individuals who include the druggily verbose Barris (Robert Downey Jr.), the hyper-intense Luckman (Woody Harrelson), the ultra-paranoid Freck (Rory Cochrane), and the beautiful Donna (Winona Ryder). As the film unfolds and Arctor finds himself abusing substance D in order to maintain his façade, his mind begins to spin out of control, to the point where he doesn't know what's real and what isn't. Eventually, the truth comes out, leaving Arctor even more numbed. Linklater's surprisingly faithful adaptation of Dick's novel blends humor, drama, and Bob Sabiston's striking animation to deliver a thought-provoking film that will leave viewers as dazed as the film's protagonist. [More]

Starring: Keanu Reeves, Robert Downey, Woody Harrelson, Winona Ryder

Starring: Keanu Reeves, Robert Downey, Woody Harrelson, Winona Ryder, Rory Cochrane

Director: Richard Linklater

Director: Richard Linklater
Screenwriter: Richard Linklater
Composer: Graham Reynolds
Studio: Warner Independent

[See More Credits]

  • Trailers
  • Pictures
  • Trailer
    >
    Trailer Re-Mix Contest Winner Interview
    >
    Red Carpet Premiere
    >
    Keanu Reeves & Richard Linklater
    >
  • Winona Ryder
    >
    Rory Cochrane
    >
    First 24 Minutes
    >
1 - 4 of 7

See More Movie Trailers & Pictures

Get This Movie

Rent DVD
 
 

Click on the "ADD" button to put this movie into your Netflix queue.

 
 
Buy DVD
 
 
Release:

Dec 19, 2006

No Details Exist
 
 

Reviews for A Scanner Darkly

  • T-Meter Critics
  • Top Critics
  • RT Community
  • My Critics
  • My Friends
  • DVD
 
 
1 - 20 (sorted by date)
Text View | 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 >> >|
Arrange By:Fresh | Rotten | Comments | Name | Source | Date
 
 

Ponders the inherent doom of Slacker transgressors

Full Review Source: CinePassion | comment Comment
08/30/09
Fernando F. Croce
Fernando F. Croce
CinePassion
N/R

Click to read the article

Full Review Source: Cinema Crazed | comment Comment
04/29/09
Felix Vasquez Jr.
Felix Vasquez Jr.
Cinema Crazed
N/R

Click to read the article

Full Review Source: Boston Phoenix | comment Comment
04/23/09
Peter Keough
Peter Keough
Boston Phoenix

Click to read the article

Full Review Source: Hollywood.com | comment Comment
11/20/08
Brian Marder
Brian Marder
Hollywood.com
N/R

Click to read the article

Full Review Source: NPR.org | comment Comment
10/18/08
Bob Mondello
Bob Mondello
NPR.org

Click to read the article

Full Review Source: Sacramento News & Review | comment Comment
08/07/08
Jim Lane
Jim Lane
Sacramento News & Review

Too talkie to be legitimately entertaining, too dark to be wholly enjoyable and too muddled to be entirely comprehensible, A Scanner Darkly stands as a creative, if unengaging interpretation of its source materia

Full Review Source: BrandonFibbs.com | comment Comment
02/28/08
Brandon Fibbs
Brandon Fibbs
BrandonFibbs.com

Linklater may have admired the novel -- I do, too -- but that doesn't necessarily make him the ideal director for this material.

Full Review Source: eFilmCritic.com | comment Comment
08/13/07
Rob Gonsalves
Rob Gonsalves
eFilmCritic.com

a trippy movie that doesn't make it easy for the audience to follow. The story is complex and confusing and theanimation keeps the viewer from entering the tale emotionally or intellectually.

Full Review Source: Murphy's Movie Reviews | comment 2 Comments
07/14/07
Ted Murphy
Ted Murphy
Murphy's Movie Reviews

Click to read the article

Full Review Source: Big Picture Big Sound | comment Comment
07/14/07
Joe Lozito
Joe Lozito
Big Picture Big Sound

this dystopian paranoid thriller tracks addiction in all its highs and lows, and offers a dignified elegy for its misguided casualties.

Full Review Source: Channel 4 Film | comment Comment
06/13/07
Anton Bitel
Anton Bitel
Channel 4 Film

The movie isn't for those seeking a run-of-the-mill Hollywood film and it can't be viewed with a trace of passivity.

Full Review Source: Bangor Daily News (Maine) | comment Comment
05/02/07
Christopher Smith
Christopher Smith
Bangor Daily News (Maine)

I don't think the movie will appeal to a wide audience, but I could see it becoming a perennial cult classic, right up there with Repo Man.

Full Review Source: Cinematical | comment Comment
04/08/07
Jette Kernion
Jette Kernion
Cinematical

Linklater never pretends that he has all the answers, but he asks the questions in such an interesting, elegant fashion that you'll be glad you came along for the ride.

Full Review Source: UGO | comment Comment
03/24/07
Brian Tallerico
Brian Tallerico
UGO

Has more to recommend it than arty graphics--as befits a movie made from one of Philip K. Dick's most acclaimed novels.

Full Review Source: Film Journal International | comment Comment
02/22/07
Rex Roberts
Rex Roberts
Film Journal International

Acabando por revelar-se bem mais complexa do que poderíamos supor a princípio, a trama deste filme nos apresenta a um mundo sombrio e ameaçador no qual a máxima "os fins justificam os meios" acaba atingindo dimensões assustadoras.

Full Review Source: Cinema em Cena | comment Comment
02/03/07
Pablo Villaca
Pablo Villaca
Cinema em Cena

I think this is a film that would have been more effective as live action, rather than animation.

Full Review Source: Laramie Movie Scope | comment Comment
01/18/07
Robert Roten
Robert Roten
Laramie Movie Scope

Destined to become one of those movies that college kids love to rent and smoke bongs with.

Full Review Source: DVD Clinic | comment Comment
01/17/07
Scott Weinberg
Scott Weinberg
DVD Clinic

When the film is on track, it works; when it devolves into meaningless chatter, it simply drifts.

Full Review Source: DVDTown.com | comment Comment
12/12/06
John J. Puccio
John J. Puccio
DVDTown.com

A futuristic morality tale using rotoscope animation to enhance the trip effect, offering visual stimulation but not enough satisfying engagement.

Full Review Source: Urban Cinefile | comment Comment
11/24/06
Urban Cinefile Critics
Urban Cinefile Critics
Urban Cinefile
 
 
1 - 20 (sorted by date)
Text View | 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 >> >|
all

Latest News for A Scanner Darkly

January 09, 2007: Online Film Critics Name Their Year-End Favorites
Hosted right here at the illustrious Rotten Tomatoes is the official website of the Online Film Critics Society, an international group of flick analyzers who put their heads... More...

August 31, 2006: A Taste of What's "Next" for Nicolas Cage
Any time I hear the phrase "movie based on a Philip K. Dick story," I know I have to do a little more research. The next PKD adaptation is Lee Tamahori's... More...

August 08, 2006: Paul Giamatti to Star as Philip K. Dick
He night not be as famous as H.G. Wells or Isaac Asimov, but ask a sci-fi enthusiast what they think of Philip K. Dick, and get ready for a lengthy conversation. The late and... More...

July 24, 2006: Box Office Wrapup: "Pirates" Passes $300M; "Lady" Stumbles
Johnny Depp made this weekend's four new releases walk the plank as his megablockbuster Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest became the first film of the year to spend... More...

See All

More DVDs

Close
Top Rentals
Tomatometer Percentage Movie
14% 14% The Ugly Truth
98% 98% Up
36% 36% G.I. Joe: The Rise of …
52% 52% The Taking of Pelham 1…
45% 45% Ice Age: Dawn of the D…

More Rentals…

New On DVD This Week
Tomatometer Percentage Movie
32% 32% Terminator Salvation
44% 44% Night at the Museum: B…
86% 86% A Christmas Tale
60% 60% Paper Heart

More New Releases…

See All

RT On Current TV

The Rotten Tomatoes Show on Current TV

DIRECTV 358 | Comcast 107 | DISH Network 196 | More...

Learn how you can be part of the show

More...

What’s Hot On RT

Nine Pictures

Nine Pictures

Hottest poster ever? 14 pictures from Nine

Disney Countdown

Disney Countdown

Look back on Disney's best animated movies!

RT's Gift Guide

RT's Gift Guide

Give the best movies, gear, and more!

RT on DVD & Blu-ray

RT on DVD & Blu-ray

Find this week's latest releases!

Other News

Close
  • Top Stories
  • Popular
  • Interviews
 
 

Comments

 
 
Top Stories
Headlines Comments
  
  • Summit Ponders Twilight Finale Source: Variety
51
  • First Look at Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Source: USA Today
22
  • Jeremy Renner Talks Hawkeye Possibilities Source: Superhero Hype
12
  • Todd Phillips Talks The Hangover 2 Source: Entertainment Weekly
10
  • Tron Legacy Duo Heading into The Black Hole Source: Hollywood Reporter
7
  • First Iron Man 2 Poster Released Source: Yahoo! Movies
68
  • Ryan Reynolds Talks Green Lantern Source: MTV
14
  • Paul Greengrass Quits Fourth Bourne Source: The Playlist
27
  • Tobey Maguire Talks Brothers, Spider-Man 4 Source: Boston Globe
30
  • Nimrod Antal Talks Predators Source: ComingSoon.net
18
Popular
Headlines Comments
  
  • Friday Harvest: The Road, Avatar, and more!
96
  • Ban Them All! 10 Infamously Controversial Movies
90
  • 5 Facts About The Twilight Saga: Eclipse
89
  • Critics Consensus: Flee From Ninja Assassin
47
  • WB offers DVD to Blu-ray Trade-In Program
33
  • RT's Blu-ray Picks from WB
32
  • Box Office Guru Wrapup: Vampires and Football Break Thanksgiving Records
32
  • Weekly Ketchup: Zombieland 2 in 3D?
28
  • Five Favorite Films With Zombieland Director Ruben Fleischer
24
  • RT on DVD & Blu-Ray: Terminator Salvation and a Smithsonian Battle
17
Interviews
Headlines Comments
  
  • "I Don't Hate Women": Lars von Trier on Antichrist
17
  • Eric Bana talks Love the Beast - RT Interview
11
  • Fight Club Sound Designer Reflects on Film's 10th Anniversary
21
  • James Schamus talks Taking Woodstock - RT Interview
8
  • John Hurt Talks Harry Potter, Quentin Crisp and Alien - The RT Interview
15
  • Terry Gilliam Talks Doctor Parnassus
22
  • Wes Anderson Talks Fantastic Mr. Fox - RT Interview
9
  • Wolverine Creator Len Wein Talks About the Film
28
  • Gavin Hood Talks Wolverine; Possible Sequel
28
  • Duncan Jones talks Moon, Sam Rockwell, and Mute
14
 
 

Sponsored Links

Around The Network

  • A Scanner Darkly at Rotten Tomatoes
  • A Scanner Darkly at IGN
  • A Scanner Darkly at AskMen

Fresh Links

Featured
Wes Anderson on Fox
Wes Anderson on Fox External Link

The director talks about puppetry perfection and his film, Fantastic Mr. Fox

Animated Oscar?
Animated Oscar? External Link

Hollywood.com ponders whether or not an animated film could win Best Picture.

TIME's Holiday Movie Preview
TIME's Holiday Movie Preview External Link

Richard Corliss previews the season's best offerings and hottest tickets.

Scenic Routes
Scenic Routes External Link

The AV Club's Mike D'Angelo airs his beefs with Alfonso Cuaron's Children of Men.

Promos
Follow RT on Twitter
Follow RT on Twitter External Link

Get the latest Tomatometer updates on upcoming movies!

 
 
About| Site Map| Help| RT To Go| Contact Us| Critics Submission| Linking to RT| Licensing| Movie List| Games| Celebs List| Newsletter
IGN Logo

IGN.com | GameSpy | Comrade | Arena | FilePlanet | GameSpy Technology
TeamXbox | Planets | Vaults | VE3D | CheatsCodesGuides | GameStats | GamerMetrics
AskMen.com | Rotten Tomatoes | Direct2Drive | Green Pixels


By continuing past this page, and by the continued use of this site, you agree to be bound by and abide by the User Agreement.
Copyright 1998-2009, IGN Entertainment, Inc. About IGN | Support | Advertise | Privacy Policy | User Agreement | Subscribe to RT's XML feed! IGN RSS Feeds
IGN's enterprise databases running Oracle, SQL and MySQL are professionally monitored and managed by Pythian Remote DBA
Certain product data ©1995-present Muze, Inc. For personal use only. All rights reserved.