It’s generally understood that science fiction stories say more about the moment in which they were written than the future that they dare to imagine. That’s why it doesn’t matter that we’re long past the original setting of futuristic classics like Blade Runner or even Back to the Future Part II, as these stories remain fascinating precisely because of their dated perspectives on the future.

Of course, that’s not to say that there aren’t a handful of technological prophets out there who can tap into universal fears and anxieties that continue to be relevant no matter how far our species marches into the future. A great example of this is Phillip K. Dick’s 1977 novel A Scanner Darkly, a timeless autobiographical parable about paranoia and America’s war on drugs disguised as a sci-fi novel.

And while the book may not have been one of the author’s most popular works, it was later adapted into my personal favorite Richard Linklater project – a nearly two-decade-old animated film that still feels like it could have been made yesterday. That’s why I’d like to revisit this odd feature and discuss exactly what makes it such a fascinating adaptation.

Inspired by Dick’s personal experience with Californian counterculture after his fourth wife left him in the early 70s, the original A Scanner Darkly uses a dystopian future as a mere pretext to talk about very real concerns that the author had about what drugs were doing to his social circle. This unique premise is likely why there had already been several attempts to adapt the story to the big screen, with names like Charlie Kaufman and even Terry Gilliam expressing interest in the novel at one point or another.

Ultimately, it was celebrated Texan filmmaker Richard Linklater who managed to impress Dick’s estate with a proposed animated adaptation (using the same rotoscoping method that he had previously perfected in 2001’s Waking Life) that would focus on the growing paranoia of the main characters in a bizarre combination of a humorous hangout movie and a tragic conspiracy thriller.

After a short filming schedule and lengthy post-production process, the finished film was released in May of 2006, with the story remaining mostly faithful to the novel as it follows undercover junkie Bob Arctor (Keanu Reeves) as he’s forced to spy on himself and his odd housemates during a drug epidemic in the near future of 2013.

SO WHY IS IT WORTH WATCHING?

From the religious implications of The Adjustment Bureau to the trashy thrills of 2007’s Next, I usually find that even the less beloved Phillip K. Dick adaptations are still incredibly entertaining. What makes A Scanner Darkly unique among its peers is the fact that the story isn’t really about any specific piece of revolutionary technology or the complex workings of an imagined dystopia, but rather a sincere exploration of what might lead someone to throw their life away in exchange for cheap chemical thrills.

Sure, the odd pacing and intentionally over-written dialogue might rub some viewers the wrong way, but the flick’s insights into drug culture and America’s obsession with surveillance make this a fascinating experience – especially since the movie refuses to judge its troubled characters and doesn’t jump to any easy conclusions about solving the epidemic.

I’ve also always been a fan of the hand-crafted janky-ness behind rotoscoping, and while it used to be a clever tool for animating realistic action, the genius of A Scanner Darkly’s visuals is in using the constantly shifting images and vibrant colors to give us a glimpse of the internal lives of our trippy cast.

This creative cinematography (coupled with the Radiohead-heavy soundtrack) means that even the slower moments are still charming, and I really appreciate how many of the actors work with exaggerated expressions in order to make the animated visuals pop even further.

And speaking of actors, there are some incredibly memorable performances behind the rotoscoping here, including a highly energetic Robert Downey Jr. in one of the most mesmerizing roles of his career and a deeply disconcerting take on severe addiction by Rory Cochrane.

AND WHAT MAKES IT HORROR ADJACENT?

Ask anyone who’s ever dealt with a loved one battling cognitive impairment and they’ll tell you that losing your mind while being aware of it as it happens is one of the most horrific things that can happen to a human being. Unfortunately, the general lack of internal monologues in cinema means that most films are incapable of properly exploring this sensitive topic with any kind of nuance.

Ironically, Linklater’s A Scanner Darkly is a rare exception precisely because of its over-the-top visual style, with the fluctuating animation allowing for internal story-beats to come to life on the big screen in horrific ways that are usually reserved for literature – especially if you know people struggling with addiction in real life.

I’d also argue that one of the film’s greatest strengths lies in the decision to start things off as a weird hangout flick akin to Linklater’s early work and slowly morph the story into a legitimately compelling commentary on the corporate masters behind America’s failed war on drugs (something that continues to plague innocent citizens to this very day with the tragic opioid epidemic).

In some ways, the film reminds me of William Friedkin’s Bug, another mind-bending thriller that deals with some similar ideas regarding drugs, paranoia and the nature of conspiratorial thinking. However, Linklater’s film delves into even darker territory due to the realization that some conspiracies can actually be real. After all, as William S. Burroughs said, “A paranoid is someone who knows a little of what’s going on. A psychotic is a guy who’s just found out what’s going on.”

Ultimately, the real horror-adjacent bits of A Scanner Darkly lie in the sinister implications of the story rather than the events themselves, especially when most of these issues remain tragically relevant even in the far-off future of 2024. And while we’re still nowhere near solving the problems that lead to malevolent corporatism and widespread addiction, at least we can still revisit this fascinating work of art dedicated to those who were punished for the crime of existing in an unbearable dystopia.

There’s no understating the importance of a balanced media diet, and since bloody and disgusting entertainment isn’t exclusive to the horror genre, we’ve come up with Horror Adjacent – a recurring column where we recommend non-horror movies that horror fans might enjoy.