MOVIE REVIEW

Reviewed by: Alan Gamboa

CONTRIBUTOR

Starring: Johnny Depp, Benicio Del Toro, Cameron Diaz, Mark Harmon / Director: Terry Gilliam / Released by: Universal Pictures

When I went to see this movie with a couple of friends, I had no idea what it was about. All I knew was that Terry Gilliam was the director and he had directed some other movies I enjoyed (“Brazil”, “Fischer King”).

“Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas” is based on the cult classic book of the same name by Hunter Thompson. On the surface it’s about a California journalist and his attorney friend on a drug-binged trip to Las Vegas to cover a motorcycle race. Really, it’s about the raping of the American Dream.

Through out the whole movie, Raoul Duke (Johnny Depp) and Dr. Gonzo (Benicio Del Toro) never stop taking drugs of all kinds from marijuana to cocaine to ether. Terry Gilliam uses this to create some interesting visual effects and Johnny Depp gives a very believeable performance. The whole movie is a bad trip (and bad trips is mainly what the movie is about).

This movie glorifies drugs and drug-culture and includes heavy doses of sexually explicit and all-around revolting material. It’s sure to be a cult classic for the intoxicated (there were actually beer bottles in the theatre after it was over and I have NEVER seen beer bottles in a theater before). As far as for Christians, I would strong NOT recommend this movie. It will deliberately offend even the most mature Christian audience. The only reason I didn’t walk out is because I thought there might be some kind of moral or something redeeming about it, but there really doesn’t seem to be one at all.