Fear And Loathing In Las Vegas Has A Rotten Tomatoes Score Around 50%, But I Get Why

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I was a big fan of Hunter S. Thompson when I was younger. I read everything he wrote, and like a lot of people, I first discovered him through Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas. It’s a fantastic book, and Terry Gilliam’s movie adaptation, with Johnny Depp as Raoul Duke, really captured the book’s spirit visually. However, I was surprised to see its relatively low score on Rotten Tomatoes (currently 51%), but on reflection, I understand why.

I Think Fans Of The Book Fans May Not Be Fans Of The Movie

I generally don’t mind when movies change things from the books they’re based on. It’s really difficult to translate a story from a book to a film, and filmmakers often have to make adjustments. While I appreciate the effort Terry Gilliam and his team put into Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas, I still don’t particularly enjoy the movie. Hunter S. Thompson’s writing is simply challenging to adapt for the screen.

It’s not about anyone doing anything wrong; I simply adored the book and had incredibly high expectations for the film. I’d read it many times before the movie came out in 1998, and I felt then – and still do – that the story’s unique, internal quality was impossible to capture on screen. A lot of the story happens inside the main character’s head, and that’s hard to translate to film. I suspect many other book fans felt the same way.

It was just revealed that Johnny Depp will be making a movie based on one of my favorite books, The Master and Margarita. I’ve always thought it would be impossible to adapt into a film, so it will be interesting to see how this turns out.

Some Who Aren’t Fans Of The Book Don’t Seem To Like It Either

I’ve noticed some people don’t like this Vegas film, but honestly, it seems like their complaints aren’t really about the movie itself. They say it’s too wild, too drug-fueled, or just doesn’t make sense. But that’s totally the point! The original book was exactly like that – a total whirlwind. And from everything I’ve read about Hunter S. Thompson, he was the same way, both on the page and off. The film feels chaotic because the story is chaotic. There simply wasn’t any other way to bring it to life.

The movie is incredibly divisive – people seem to either love it or strongly dislike it, with very few falling in between. This is reflected in its 50% approval rating and the extreme reactions it gets. Some consider it a masterpiece, while others are completely turned off by it. While some have labeled it the worst film by Terry Gilliam, I personally believe that title now belongs to The Brothers Grimm.

Terry Gilliam and Hunter S. Thompson both have a reputation for challenging conventions, and it’s understandable why their combined style isn’t for everyone. While the film doesn’t quite capture the raw energy of the book, I believe Terry Gilliam was the only director who could have even attempted to create a truly remarkable adaptation.

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2025-12-15 02:10