Before I start let me announce I haven’t read the book. Yes, I know. You’re thinking to yourself, but Eli has usually read all of the sci-fi shite that no one else likes or reads, but on this occasion I am forced to admit that Philip K Dick is not - and has never been - high on my list of reading materials. Which means that I went into this movie completely blind not having a clue about the plot except that it involved drugs and featured an animated Keanu Reeves - and who would have thought you’d ever see that?

I went to the afternoon show which meant it was me and 11 guys, all in various phases of geekdom. There was the loner at the front who was reading while the lights were on, the bloke who sat way at the back all by himself and the two guys who wandered in all beardy glasses and looking like they’d just stepped out of a 48 hour marathon session of D&D.
Yes, all of (geek) humanity was there including one bloke who chose to sit behind me and kick the shit out of the seats.

Reminder: I hate fidgety people.

There were 120 seats in the theatre (I counted. Yeah, I know…) so I can only guess that it must be me. WHY LORD WHY? A mostly empty theatre and I get the fidgeter sitting behind me. If you are wondering why I didn’t move seats the reason is that I had a lovely seat with no one in front of me and the fecker wandered in as the lights went down and the movie started and he didn’t begin his World Cup re-enactment until about 20 minutes into the show.

Other than that I had a good time. The first few scenes you are very aware of the animation-over-film and it’s slightly distracting but you soon get used to it. I wonder also at the ‘16′ rating. If it was fully live-action would it have been rated as an ‘18′ movie? The plot, well I sorta had that one figured out from one particular conversation held early in the first act. Keanu is best when he’s a drawn in character, Downey and Harrelson are typical stoners, doing what they do best and Ryder is surprisingly un-annoying - again perhaps this is due to the animation.

I don’t know if this one is worth the price of admission, that is, do you get anything more from it on the big screen than if you waited to see it on DVD. Overall, a general thumbs up.