Skanerzy

In Scanners, Cronenberg focuses on what has excited him since his debut: scientific research devoid of ethical barriers that can be dangerous to the whole world, and technologies that aim to "enhance" the mental and physical abilities of humans. The director is once again original, and provocative, and showcases himself in the position in which his fans have always loved him, that is, as a "deviant" with an exceptional talent for creating a unique atmosphere and unafraid to push the boundaries of the ordinary. The film deals with telepaths, who are the result of a side effect of a drug. Cronenberg views telepathy in the film as a direct connection between nervous systems and also as a flow of energy that is even compatible with computer data flow. In his interpretation, the Scanners are not only capable of influencing the behavior of the people they attack, but they can also physically destroy them and, following the example of cyberpunk, connect to computer systems without needing any connection. Scanners once had such an impact that the film required a (clearly weaker) sequel, and within Cronenberg's body of work, that film is among the more well-known. Personally, I remember most the presence of the prominent villain Michael Ironside in the role of the evil scanner Darryl Revok. Overall impression: 70%. (05.06.2017)

Scanners is another in a series of Cronenberg's cult films from his early work and ranks among the best. The character of Darryl Revok played by Michael Ironside is amazing, it just disappoints me a little that we don't get to enjoy him so much throughout the movie. And it is precisely because of this that the strongest aspect of the film is its beginning and of course the epic ending. I practically have nothing to criticize about the film. I wouldn't dare to criticize David Cronenberg's specific style, so when I encounter some details in his film that I don't really like, I try to internalize them in my own way and understand why it is so - I don't look for other solutions and I don't think it should be different. It's just Cronenberg and his films should be taken as they are. (20.05.2018)

The beginning was pretty good, but unfortunately, after half an hour it started to bore me. The twist elevated it to a slightly above-par level, but Cronenberg has impressed me more with other films. Here the director flies too low and the result is far below his potential. I’m quite looking forward to the remake that is in the works. (16.05.2008)

From the depressing and disturbingly suspenseful score to perhaps the most legendary and iconic head explosion effect scene in movie history, this classic horror movie covers a lot of ground. David Cronenberg, with a seemingly cold distance, lays out a twist-filled battle between two secret organizations, with a naive infiltrator in the middle of it all, who is sucked into a strange world and manipulated just like the audience itself. On first viewing, I had a bit of a problem with the slow pace of the movie, but on second viewing I was taken aback, I loved every single shot, the Cronenberg style of "body horror" plus all those practical effects managed to put a smile on my face. (19.01.2021)

The thought-provoking subject matter is held down by an overblown script and Cronenberg's incomprehensible restraint in explicit scenes. The scanning in front of the audience and the grand ending as if from an epic fable are not enough to stop me from dryly stating that the film was just plain boring. It’s a prime example of a film where rumors of exploding heads have created a phenomenon that falls short in reality. (10.08.2007)