Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas

G

Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas, the new road movie by Monty Python vet Terry Gilliam is very, very funny. However, it may have as well been a bunch of clips of “What drugs do to you”, since it has no plot, no story and no point.

Johnny Dep and Benicio Del Toro are two druggies that go to Las Vegas and wreak havoc. There is something about one of them being a journalist trying to cover a story and the other being a lawyer, but that is quickly thrown out the window. There is absolutely nothing else to Fear and Loathing…. But it still manages to be funny.

I would be lying if I said I was bored; on the contrary, there were times where I very much enjoyed the laughs. But I was certainly never interested or involved, with the characters, the movie nor otherwise. The dreaded question “So what?” endlessly lingered in my mind in regard to the movie as I kept hoping that the film would have a point, or some kind of redemption value. No such luck. But I was constantly laughing because the film was creative as it hopelessly tried to make something out of nothing.

Funny as it might be, the movie has no substance and is instantly forgettable. Johnny Depp desperately tries to make it otherwise, and yes, his performance is noteworthy because many moments of hilarity come from it, but it can’t make you forget that he is acting. When watching a truly great performance that thought should not enter your mind.

So, while the movie is watchable, and sometimes enjoyable, there is nothing to it. Is is worth seeing? That is a matter of personal preference. While I can’t reccommend the film, if all you want is some great laughs then you might like it very much. I didn’t think it was enough, and if you think that there should be more to a movie, then I suggest that you steer clear of this road trip.

-- Eugene Novikov