A Scanner Darkly
In a dystopian near-future where America’s war on drugs has failed, undercover cop Fred is addicted to Substance D—a drug so potent it fractures the mind, splitting users into multiple personalities. Obsessed with bringing down elusive dealer Bob Arctor, Fred doesn’t realize he is Bob, his own identity unraveling under the weight of paranoia and surveillance.
Adapted from Philip K. Dick’s haunting novel, this mind-bending thriller blends sci-fi noir with existential dread. Keanu Reeves delivers a gripping performance as the fractured protagonist, supported by an all-star cast including Winona Ryder, Robert Downey Jr., and Woody Harrelson. Director Richard Linklater employs his signature rotoscoped animation, layering dreamlike visuals over live-action footage to mirror the story’s disorienting descent into addiction and deception.
Darkly comic yet unsettlingly prescient, A Scanner Darkly is a trippy, thought-provoking dive into identity, control, and the cost of oblivion. Nothing is what it seems—least of all the man in the mirror.
A Scanner Darkly
Directed by Richard Linklater
- Format: Widescreen, Animated, Color | AC-3, Dolby | Subtitled (English, French, Spanish) | Dubbed (Spanish)
- Runtime: 1h 40m | MPAA Rating: R (Restricted)
- Cast: Keanu Reeves, Robert Downey Jr., Winona Ryder, Rory Cochrane, Mitch Baker
- Writers: Philip K. Dick, Richard Linklater
- Studio: Warner Home Video | ASIN: B000NOKJF4
- Discs: 1 | Dimensions: 5.12 x 0.59 x 6.69 in | Weight: 4.94 oz
- Aspect Ratio: 1.85:1
- Customer Reviews: ★★★★☆ (4.5/5, 3,093 ratings)
- Rankings: #124,739 in Movies & TV | #1,363 in Sci-Fi Blu-rays | #8,070 in Action & Adventure Blu-rays
Aspect Ratio: 1.85:1
Discontinued? No
MPAA Rating: R (Restricted)
Dimensions: 5.12 x 0.59 x 6.69 inches; 4.94 oz
Director: Richard Linklater
Format: AC-3, Animated, Closed-captioned, Color, Dolby, Subtitled, Widescreen
Runtime: 1h 40m
Cast: Keanu Reeves, Mitch Baker, Robert Downey Jr., Rory Cochrane, Winona Ryder
Dubbed: Spanish
Subtitles: English, French, Spanish
Studio: Warner Home Video
ASIN: B000NOKJF4
Writers: Philip K. Dick, Richard Linklater
Discs: 1
Best Sellers Rank: #124,739 in Movies & TV | #1,363 in Sci-Fi Blu-rays | #8,070 in Action & Adventure Blu-rays
Reviews: ★★★★½ (4.5/5 from 3,093 ratings)