Wednesday, January 5, 2011

bad/awesome flixxx review: Scanners (1981)




Alahoyus all! There are certain flicks that would fit perfectly in here, but just haven't been reviewed, because I either haven't gotten around to rewatching them for a fresh perspective, or in the case of "Big Trouble" (probably my favorite movie of all time) haven't been put it because I'm waiting for the perfect spot. I've sprinkled classics in with unknown favorites, and horrible masterpieces. High up on my list of best movies of all time comes this unbelievable picture from David Cronenberg. I've always thought about telekinesis, from as early as I can remember. Maybe it was movies or tv shows such as this, or probably it came from years of reading comic books, but I've always been fascinated with telepaths. In this future Scifi/thriller flick, there are a little over 200 scanners in all of the world. And one man is out to destroy them all... or is he? A famous Canadian painter, Patrick McGoohan (warden in Eastwood's Escape from Alcatraz, The Prisoner #6 himself!, and King Edward I from Braveheart), and Michael Ironsides in SCANNERS!!!



This movie has it all. I don't want to ruin it by telling whats really going on, because anyone who reads this blog should definitely seek out a copy of this to own, or rent, or whatever. It has the highest recommendation from me. The basic plot is this: A bum freaks out and is hauled off to a government organization called Consec. At the same time a meeting is taking place about the phenomena of scanners, or telepaths who can control regular humans. One of the most famous scenes happens when a scanner holding the seminar has an audience member come forward to be scanned and is instead scanned himself so hard that his fucking head explodes.









The bum turns out to be an unknown scanner named Cameron Vale. The government has a list of all the scanners on Earth somehow. They have this drug they can give scanners to help them calm the voices in their heads. The agency wants to use Vale to infiltrate the coven of scanners headed by the most powerful one named Darrell Revok. Between the guy Dr. Ruth who invented the drug and helped Cameron, and the new head of security at Consec theres a bunch of backstabbing and people being used for others own ends. I can't really tell anymore without giving too much away. Its really set up and written very well. There are lots of psychic murders, psychic freakouts, car crashes, explosions, manhunts, and other shit that I seem to want out of every movie. The battle at the end is crazy and the outcome is not expected. Not too much more I can say. A bit of a complicated plot twist at the end, but it all works out. Double thumbs up. Belee dat.

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