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Scanners

1981
Sci-fi
Suspense/Thriller
1h 43m
A scientist sends a man with extraordinary psychic powers to hunt others like him. (imdb)
Directed by:
David Cronenberg David Cronenberg
Written by:
David Cronenberg David Cronenberg
Starring:
Patrick McGoohan Patrick McGoohan Stephen Lack Michael Ironside Michael Ironside Jennifer O\ Jennifer O'Neill Lawrence Dane Lawrence Dane Robert A. Silverman Robert A. Silverman Louis Del Grande Lee Broker Mavor Moore Adam Ludwig Fred Doederlein Murray Cruchley
More
Franchise:
Scanners
Genres:
Sci-fi, Suspense/Thriller, Horror
Country:
Canada
Language:
English
imdb More information at IMDb
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Scanners

1981
Sci-fi
Suspense/Thriller
1h 43m
Your probable score
Ratings & Reviews Cast Collections Similar Stats Trailer
Avg Percentile 50.16% from 2213 total ratings
Ratings & Reviews Cast Collections Similar Stats Trailer

Ratings & Reviews

(2213)
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doctor7doctor7
Rated 24 Mar 2007
79
70th
On the one hand it's got a great story, the slower paced direction works perfectly and I love how the scanning was depicted in the film (with no silly special effects but just some great mood setting music). On the other hand is Stephen Lack's acting. His performance is almost childlike which is good considering his character but sometimes it just falls flat and is pretty bad. Still, it's a great film and a must for a Cronenberg fan.
Rated 24 Mar 2007
billyshearsBillyShears
Rated 01 Jun 2021
80
77th
What Stephen Lack lacks in acting chops he makes up for in spooky Scanner style staring. The sound design in this movie is menacing, whenever someone is about to scan it gets thumping. Next to JFK probably my favourite movie centred around a head exploding.
Rated 01 Jun 2021
overratedoverrated
Rated 10 Jan 2010
63
67th
Nothing to lose your head over.
Rated 10 Jan 2010
mentaculusMentaculus
Rated 08 Dec 2008
76
64th
For a Cronenberg film, the pacing is extremely flawed and the logic bounces around to serve the horror. But its individual moments - such as the computer hijacking through the phone line - are both ahead of its time and well done. Every Cronenberg trope is here, from the fucked-up family unit, to body/technology/sexual fusion, and the anxiety of all things flesh.
Rated 08 Dec 2008
paxtonPaxton
Rated 17 Dec 2013
74
76th
It's rumored that Powers Boothe was in the running for Ironside's role of Revok. Each round of auditions saw Cronenberg and producer Claude Héroux arguing their pick. After each audition David felt Boothe had sealed it. But Claude insisted Ironside was just a bit ahead of him. After the third time hearing this David threw up his hands and said, "He's not ahead of him! Powers is ahead!" To which Héroux said, "Powers isn't ahead. He doesn't have a head!" That's the worst joke I've ever told. Sorry
Rated 17 Dec 2013
loservilleloserville
Rated 27 May 2007
26
13th
Horribly overrated. A few spectacular gore effects don't make the rest of this bore worth sitting through.
Rated 27 May 2007
barthalenBarthalen
Rated 22 Apr 2013
69
51st
Uneven, but its high points are pretty damn effective. It was a shame Stephen Lack's acting was quite... lacking. Haha. Ha. Haaa. Ha! Hh.. Ha..ha...hh.. hhNNnn. Nnn!!! Hnnnnnnn!!! *head explodes*
Rated 22 Apr 2013
easymac742easymac742
Rated 14 Aug 2007
57
10th
There are a couple of scenes that are amazing...of course the exploding head is one of them. But this movie is boring, and star Stephen Lack is AWFUL.
Rated 14 Aug 2007
terrymacterrymac
Rated 21 Apr 2021
68
52nd
A weird film with weird people doing weird things to each other, culminating in a gurn-filled weird-off. Gotta love some Michael Ironside. An odd, but rather fine and occasionally smart sci-fi, with some nice Cronenberg flourishes.
Rated 21 Apr 2021
valenzettiValenzetti
Rated 30 Sep 2010
79
54th
Good, old-fashioned Pulp Cronenberg. Terrible acting, awkward dialogue, haphazard pace, and yet so damn eerie. There are so many subtle touches that hint at the more serious ideas lurking behind the cheese. The score ranges from hilariously cheap-sounding synthesizer horns to grimy ambiance as good as anything Reznor went on to make. I mourn the retirement (essentially) of Michael Ironside.
Rated 30 Sep 2010
glumpy99glumpy_99
Rated 23 Aug 2020
92
86th
Brilliantly squirmy and queasy shot of Cronenberg body-horror feels like the deformed and ugly cousin of THE FURY; it's Cronenberg's decision to base the potentially absurd premise in an otherwise recognisably "real" world that makes this so creepy. Ironside and McGoohan take acting honours, and while there is something Lacking in the two leads, their slightly space-y, wooden affects do suit the alienated natures of their characters. Great fun and a harbinger of the masterpieces to come.
Rated 23 Aug 2020
cclzaCCLZA
Rated 18 Aug 2011
75
63rd
What it lacks in acting, excels in atmosphere, effects and ideas and a great third act.
Rated 18 Aug 2011
jabbathewutJabbatheWut
Rated 04 Jul 2012
40
1st
LET'S MAKE THE MAIN ACTOR A ROBOT.
Rated 04 Jul 2012
luna6ixLuna6ix
Rated 11 Apr 2021
73
44th
Classic Cronenberg movies are kind of a one trick pony with cool gore, and while I'm a fan of that trick, "Scanners" is unique in that it has a far more interesting story than most of his other work, but it's still not an awesome movie, largely because of the lead, he's like the worst soap opera actor ever, but in a horror movie.
Rated 11 Apr 2021
qthealmightyQtheAlmighty
Rated 06 Feb 2014
70
38th
Poorly paced and filled with some pretty terribad acting, but its approach to the idea of secret mind readers and its "Scanning" is bizarre and vaguely creepy in all the right ways.
Rated 06 Feb 2014
nilkynarfynilkynarfy
Rated 31 Aug 2015
70
61st
I read about what they had to go through to make this movie, and I wonder why they bothered at all. I'm glad they did, but the behind-the-scenes frustration makes almost every scene seem rushed and compromised. Still, a neat transhumanist horror story that could have been much much worse.
Rated 31 Aug 2015
unohav1unohav_1
Rated 10 Oct 2008
30
11th
Severely dated, could stand a redo with better acting, story, etc. Great premise, but too much hippy dippy babble to stand up to today.
Rated 10 Oct 2008
spikycactusSpikyCactus
Rated 07 Nov 2012
60
20th
Top badass moment? The exploding computer lab scene, from the "no fireworks" comment to the "oh shit" look of the guy sitting on his ass in the corner, surveying the mess. Trashing your organisation's computer system is badass, although not a move that's likely to expand your career options greatly. Might be a good time to book an appointment down at the local Job Centre? No cats, chainsaws or decapitations, However, there is the famous exploding head, so that's sort of like a decapitation.
Rated 07 Nov 2012
macswellMacSwell
Rated 03 Aug 2017
70
61st
Despite the somewhat formulaic structure, Scanners is an effective thriller that justifies its ambling pace with engaging exposition and neat visuals. Leading man Stephen Lack lives up to his name in the acting department but McGoohan and Ironside more than carry their weight in supporting roles, and Dick Smith's gory effects (including the infamous exploding head) are glorious.
Rated 03 Aug 2017
hehejajahehejaja
Rated 05 Oct 2008
90
91st
I love how Cronenberg treats the crazy plot with such solemnity and care...
Rated 05 Oct 2008
graveyardtangraveyardtan
Rated 30 Jan 2012
95
93rd
The amazing ending makes up for the film's many flaws, including the terrible casting of Lack. The effects are deliciously gory, and Howard Shore's score is bombastic and strange.
Rated 30 Jan 2012
optimusmikeOptimus_mike
Rated 27 Oct 2008
85
80th
I have been honing my telekinesis ever since seeing this movie, watch out Dan Rather.
Rated 27 Oct 2008
mertagabeymertagabey
Rated 26 Aug 2010
90
97th
my second fave from cronenberg. first one is the fly.
Rated 26 Aug 2010
kahKAH
Rated 29 Apr 2009
4
93rd
Look past the mediocre acting and just suck in the atmosphere which Cronenberg gradually creates in this film.
Rated 29 Apr 2009
halfjapaneseHalfJapanese
Rated 13 Mar 2010
75
50th
Pretty good overall, but not essential viewing by any means.
Rated 13 Mar 2010
twincinematwincinema
Rated 18 Jun 2021
70
52nd
"We're gonna do this the Scanner way. I'm going to suck you [...] dry" damn, didn't realize how freaky this film would get. So, I realize that I am going to have to show my future child the head-exploding scene at some point. It's going to be tricky to figure out when the right time will be. I don't want it to be too young, but if I wait, their schoolyard chums could have passed them by with their viewings. Even a slower-paced Cronenberg is my bag, baby.
Rated 18 Jun 2021
nobletNoblet
Rated 17 Jun 2015
78
65th
Rough around the edges to say the least, but I really love the concept and Cronenberg's execution. Also, I could only see the main character as a dopey, googly eyed Tim Allen.
Rated 17 Jun 2015
monstergearMonsterGear
Rated 10 Sep 2007
37
7th
Honestly not sure what the big deal is. Struck me as silly, implausible, and stocked with characters I didn't care about.
Rated 10 Sep 2007
miss_jesusmiss jesus
Rated 07 Apr 2010
52
37th
I'm a big Cronenberg fan, but I just couldn't buy into this one. The pacing is awful, so it seems very slow considering the awesome plotline.
Rated 07 Apr 2010
smoovejSmooveJ
Rated 01 Jul 2008
93
92nd
That final scene and its implications, incredible! Other than that it's a pretty average thriller.
Rated 01 Jul 2008
sirstuckeySirStuckey
Rated 23 Feb 2014
70
56th
An interesting social commentary of our country's epidemic of Scanner on Scanner violence. ‪
Rated 23 Feb 2014
easydiffeasydiff
Rated 16 Aug 2016
20
10th
Almost unwatchable. Plodding, uninteresting, badly-acted, confusing and overlong. The gif that made this movie famous is better than the whole rest of the movie.
Rated 16 Aug 2016
moraesfelipemoraesfelipe
Rated 06 Oct 2012
67
67th
The acting is really problematic, and almost ruins this when the plot requires a dramatic response from the scenes, but Scanners works mostly because Cronenberg frames this biological sci-fi flick as a compilation of unnerving, creepy mind tricks. The finale is just fantastic.
Rated 06 Oct 2012
misterlizardmisterlizard
Rated 29 Oct 2010
70
72nd
Good idea, let down by a messy middle section and some truly terrible acting from the lead. Aside from the famous exploding head, the music is probably the best thing about this movie.
Rated 29 Oct 2010
kasperlKasperL
Rated 28 Oct 2010
50
29th
The main actor can't act. The exploding head is cool, of course, but after that it's downhill the rest of the way at a very slow pace.
Rated 28 Oct 2010
demiurgedemiurge
Rated 11 Dec 2009
22
3rd
Terrible pacing, and the plot is difficult to figure out.
Rated 11 Dec 2009
trixrabbiTrixRabbi
Rated 13 Jul 2014
55
12th
This was my second time watching it and I really tried to like it, but I can't. It's so dull and plodding and horridly paced. The acting is horrendous, and even if it was any better the dialogue is still absurd. It blows it's load early on with the exploding head, which given that that is the only scene anybody seems to remember, it makes sense why it has such a high reputation.
Rated 13 Jul 2014
cinesexualcinesexual
Rated 11 Jun 2011
80
70th
Though by no means my favorite Cronenberg, I still love how every "scanner moment" in the film becomes a mini piece of performance art. And of course, the exploding head is cool.
Rated 11 Jun 2011
khyanKhyan
Rated 20 Jan 2012
64
5th
Definitely not Cronenberg's best. The story is a bit sketchy, and there's plenty of terrible acting but the effects are cool and it's different enough to be interesting.
Rated 20 Jan 2012
hpbuttcraftHP_Buttcraft
Rated 14 Aug 2007
60
26th
Some heads explode, yeah, but the rest of the movie is very dull and cardboard-like acting.
Rated 14 Aug 2007
purgatospurgatos
Rated 13 Jul 2009
74
58th
Overall pretty lousy acting, but Cronenberg's set-ups and use of music really make the scenes work. It ends up being a very strange ride that fits right in as one of Cronenberg's works.
Rated 13 Jul 2009
heerHeer
Rated 01 Dec 2007
75
62nd
It's great when Stephen Lack's not talking.
Rated 01 Dec 2007
jkathrensjkathrens
Rated 07 Sep 2010
71
48th
Classic B Sci-fi/Horror flick with a gaping hole in the center - namely the lead actor. Just too many cringeworthy line readings and no charisma. Maybe it was intentional? If so, it doesn't work. At best, a guilty pleasure.
Rated 07 Sep 2010
abunchofcatsABUNCHOFCATS
Rated 30 Apr 2009
78
45th
It's definitely a lot slower than a lot of Cronenberg films and the fact it doesn't build up to anything amazing hurts it quite a bit, but it does have some cool ideas and the final fight scene is excellent and made me squirm in my seat. The effects worked, but I expected more.
Rated 30 Apr 2009
sirrobbieSirRobbie
Rated 12 Apr 2012
70
53rd
The ending was really good.
Rated 12 Apr 2012
peyrinpeyrin
Rated 09 Oct 2019
65
42nd
It's evident that this isn't quite full-fledged Cronenberg yet, the story is a little underwritten and the atmosphere leans a bit more toward the campy b-movie end of things. Still very endearingly dated (my main man makes a warehouse-sized computer blow up with his mind) and the final showdown had a couple bits of imagery that made me legitimately terrified of what could be coming next.
Rated 09 Oct 2019
goldblumingGoldbluming
Rated 06 Nov 2013
92
91st
The original hacker
Rated 06 Nov 2013
aiferrificAiferrific
Rated 12 Feb 2010
76
61st
Cheesy but entertaining sci-fi horror, plus Michael Ironside makes everything better (if not necessarily good).
Rated 12 Feb 2010
walkearthwalkearth
Rated 01 Nov 2010
20
5th
A single head explosion can't make the whole film.
Rated 01 Nov 2010
mkellinsmkellins
Rated 01 Dec 2013
60
54th
The story is fun and interesting but the execution is a bit too campy. The film's still quite entertaining, despite the silliness. A little bit lighter on the gore than I was epecting. Maybe Cronenberg was only just discovering his style.
Rated 01 Dec 2013
cinematicespCinematicESP
Rated 15 Jun 2008
74
31st
Mindblowing...
Rated 15 Jun 2008
sopachuco13sopachuco13
Rated 18 Oct 2019
80
62nd
Scanners is most famous for a scene that happens within the first 15 minutes of the movie. That scene grabs the audience by the balls and keeps them glued to their seats for the rest of the movie. Scanners is a really cool concept for a movie. Almost forty years later it is a bit cliched but I'm sure at the time it was revolutionary. Scanners would also make a great TV series. Cronenberg fit a lot into this movie. It is easy to tell that this is a movie that he crafted like a masterpiece.
Rated 18 Oct 2019
suture_selfSuture Self
Rated 23 Oct 2015
5
42nd
The problem with Scanners is that it takes itself so seriously despite the fact that all of its major scenes are unintentionally hilarious. Scanner dueling is some Dragon Ball Z shit and unlike much of Cronenberg's other bodyhorror flicks the DIY effects don't seem to fit the tone of the movie. Either that, or they're not effectively creepy. Y'know, cos exploding heads are funny.
Rated 23 Oct 2015
bencgauldbencgauld
Rated 29 Aug 2023
72
40th
Fun moments and a great creeping sense of dread throughout, the story and mystery is unraveled in a satisfying way. The acting apart from, Michael Ironside is pretty awful, but it adds to the B movie charms of it. Watch Videodrome instead.
Rated 29 Aug 2023
publiusdPubliusD
Rated 30 Dec 2011
80
54th
Mental silliness from Cronenberg, let down by a wooden lead character and some crappy dialogue. But that's not why you're watching Scanners.
Rated 30 Dec 2011
blayzeblayze
Rated 21 Apr 2007
60
47th
Iconic head exploding scene. Maybe Cronenberg's most know movie after The Fly.
Rated 21 Apr 2007
neonmanNeonman
Rated 01 Aug 2013
85
81st
A very well paced film that is committed to story -- and what a story it is, mind-reading and peoples' heads exploding and shit. As with Cronenberg, it's got the usual sophisticated parallel between human and machine, giving this a strange straight-to-video sci-fi vibe (except this doesn't suck).
Rated 01 Aug 2013
peaceanarchyPeaceAnarchy
Rated 11 Oct 2015
83
72nd
I like that the Sci-Fi is more central than the horror. The concept of the scanners is pretty cool and the execution just complex enough to be compelling but not so much that it becomes convoluted. As you might expect, the low budget does show through at times, but the talent involved keeps that from hurting the film too much. The ending is a little gory for my tastes, but it was pretty cool nonetheless.
Rated 11 Oct 2015
ratinenjratinenj
Rated 24 Sep 2009
79
29th
This film is story of mutants (=Scanners) who have special telepathic and telekinetic powers and their adversary who tries to destroy them. In many ways the story is close to X-men in general but this one is more dark and bloody. This was a turning point for director Cronenberg who had made similarly themed films before but this shows little bit more mature directing style. Film is uneven with some bad actors, and acting, and is known for it's effective special effects.
Rated 24 Sep 2009
cestmoicestmoi
Rated 15 May 2008
85
72nd
Another 80s classic -- totally ridiculous!
Rated 15 May 2008
zanginZangin
Rated 27 Apr 2023
40
10th
There's a reason why the head explosion is the only thing most folks remember from this movie.
Rated 27 Apr 2023
salomaordsalomaord
Rated 02 Jan 2015
50
0th
David Cronenberg #3
Rated 02 Jan 2015
inhmninhmn
Rated 12 Jan 2009
97
73rd
least favorite from the cronenberg early movies but it's awesome after all !
Rated 12 Jan 2009
wetwillieswetwillies
Rated 08 Oct 2012
80
37th
I can generally tolerate the poor acting in the early Cronenberg movies but I think it really brought this one down. Some of the performers are so wooden that they couldn't even keep my attention for an entire scene. But it has some really good scenes and strong special effects. The head explosion is, of course, unforgettable.
Rated 08 Oct 2012
ewp805ewp805
Rated 24 Jan 2014
70
45th
Interesting Cronenberg that suffers from poor pacing and irregular acting, but effectively uses music and effects to pull off a couple good scenes.
Rated 24 Jan 2014
muutanetmuutanet
Rated 01 Feb 2008
72
68th
This was a big thing way back twenty years ago. Now it's a bit dated. Unfortunately I owe censored version! "My name is Revok! Darryl Revok!"
Rated 01 Feb 2008
kavuKavu
Rated 17 Jun 2011
58
29th
Awesome score, great effects, good directing, decent acting and a quite bad script.
Rated 17 Jun 2011
hehhehhehheh
Rated 28 Aug 2007
2
36th
Interesting but flawed.
Rated 28 Aug 2007
johnnyzombieJohnnyZombie
Rated 29 Mar 2007
83
47th
Gets better towards the end.
Rated 29 Mar 2007
backwardsuitbackwardsuit
Rated 12 Nov 2014
74
63rd
Filled with great ideas like the best of Cronenberg's films but somewhat lacking in terms production. There are a few truly amazing scenes but most of it is mediocre and rushed. Still I find it hard to judge this since it's short, snappy and blows your mind in couple of scenes including the ending. Phew... I made it through the review without making a joke about Stephen Lack's acting talent.
Rated 12 Nov 2014
astrakhanastrakhan
Rated 26 Oct 2014
70
17th
Very promising concept and beginning to the film. The sound design and direction make several scenes wonderfully tense. After the halfway point however, the film somehow has no ideas left and slows to a crawl. Cronenberg should have worked harder on the second half of the story. Decent set pieces and cool special effects of peoples' veins bursting, eyes popping, heads exploding, etc... but the rest of the film is often poor (except when Michael Ironside is on screen).
Rated 26 Oct 2014
desertpunkDesertPunk
Rated 12 Apr 2014
79
71st
Scanners has one of the most interesting sci-fi plots I've ever seen, and for a still relatively inexperienced David Cronenberg, it was treated quite nicely. Issues abound, of course, but if you can put up with a little hard sci-fi in your body horror, check it out.
Rated 12 Apr 2014
tripleshTripleSH
Rated 25 Jan 2010
68
50th
Stephen Lack is painfully wooden in his acting and the effects are amateurish, yet Cronenberg's vision somehow manages to shine through, as it always does. I noticed they're remaking this, and with the right cast and a modern update special effects-wise, this could be a truly amazing film.
Rated 25 Jan 2010
braddad68braddad68
Rated 01 Apr 2015
88
36th
Different from what I remember. It had potential to be a complete sci-fi horror classic, but I think a few things were lacking. Still fun to watch, with creepy music and good effects.
Rated 01 Apr 2015
jacoiiiJacoIII
Rated 08 Oct 2014
30
19th
Just a bit better than average, largely because Cronenberg knows how to create suspense and direct his (sometimes awful) actors. Head explosion was cool but my favourite moment is when Vale melts the phone.
Rated 08 Oct 2014
redactedredacted
Rated 17 Sep 2013
62
32nd
Cheap, but you won't see a hacking scene as sexy as that for a while. I also enjoyed the extra makeup applied to the Network Administrators mole, which makes me think the acting pool for the casting of this film wasn't that large. That, or they threw friends & financiers in front of the camera for a laugh. On that note, you'll be hard pressed to find stiffer acting from the male lead. Highlight's are the telepathic finale and the inexplicable phone booth explosion. Remember phone booths?
Rated 17 Sep 2013
gokcanzgokcanz
Rated 26 Oct 2012
66
46th
* Casting, Acting : 5 * Script : 8 * Directing, Aura : 8 * Ease of Viewing : 6 * Naked Eye : 6
Rated 26 Oct 2012
florvdeFlorVdE
Rated 11 Aug 2007
2
39th
Typical Cronenberg fare, which works for me.
Rated 11 Aug 2007
djrossdjross
Rated 14 Aug 2007
55
53rd
It is so long since I saw these early Cronenbergs (SHIVERS, THE BROOD, RABID, SCANNERS) that I can't really be too confident of the scores. More specifically: another viewing could conceivably lead me to give them higher scores relative to some of Cronenberg's more recent dramas. My memory is that this was quite effective. Also worth mentioning is that the exploding head belonged to Louis Del Grande, creator and star of what I recall to be a great Canadian TV show, SEEING THINGS.
Rated 14 Aug 2007
stainStain
Rated 30 Mar 2007
90
86th
Cronenberg's finest hour. Original and exciting
Rated 30 Mar 2007
dunbardunbar
Rated 22 Jan 2011
75
61st
Cronenberg has a rich imagination for exploring the body and whatever horrific mutations he can coax out of it. Scanners could have been a cheesy film, but in Cronenberg's hands he sets up an eery and dark world where mysterious powers of the mind can be unleashed with evil undertones.
Rated 22 Jan 2011
aflickeringAFlickering
Rated 07 May 2022
6
86th
maybe it was the relatively low expectations or my being a shameless DC fanboy but i lowkey loved this. it's just fucking cool. psychic warfare shit gets my juices flowing. lack is a void at its centre (which at least makes some thematic sense), but the weird and intense supporting performances from mcgoohan, ironside, silverman etc are honestly a strength. intellectually it isn't coherent enough to be considered fully-fledged cronenberg, but the tone and camerawork are most of the way there.
Rated 07 May 2022
pavementsawpavementSAW
Rated 02 Nov 2009
95
99th
Mutants much cooler than the X-Men or Spiderman. A great depiction of unnatural abilities and post humanism.
Rated 02 Nov 2009
glm01glm01
Rated 07 Oct 2013
72
43rd
71.500
Rated 07 Oct 2013
jschlanskyJSchlansky
Rated 09 Aug 2017
66
51st
Macabre Month of Horror 2017 video review: https://youtu.be/UOyFvIfmQJ8
Rated 09 Aug 2017
oldgoatoldgoat
Rated 16 Feb 2010
60
30th
The plot seems to move on a circle above the watchers head where a lot of things happen before a better movie would establish things. Some of the old computer stuff is pretty amusing though.
Rated 16 Feb 2010
fancymikeFancyMike
Rated 17 Nov 2017
4
59th
It's kind of uneven, and Stephen Lack's performance stands out as really bad compared to the rest, but it's got a weird charm to it. The high points are very high. Specifically the scanning of the computer and the entire end confrontation are golden. There's not actually a ton of gore in it, but what's there is very very good. I watched the effects documentary segment and it's nuts to me that the head explosion was done on set with a real shotgun.
Rated 17 Nov 2017
by_devolby Devol
Rated 18 Nov 2010
74
49th
What bugged me about this was that buddy looked too much like Harry Shearer, but with slightly more fucked-up eyes.
Rated 18 Nov 2010
ddrudgesd_drudges
Rated 01 Dec 2013
60
69th
Entertaining but uneven and incoherent storywise. The premise with the new social class that's secluded from the "real" society is reminiscent of the children of May '68, as described by Gilles Deleuze and Felix Guattari.
Rated 01 Dec 2013
troothTrooth
Rated 19 Sep 2014
83
88th
I came for the exploding heads, and I stayed for a surprisingly compelling sci-fi plot. It does kind of drag in the middle, where it feels like they spend way too much time on the search for Michael Ironside's character (who is a great villain by the way). I would like to have seen some more world-building and wild effects, but what is there shouldn't leave you totally unsatisfied.
Rated 19 Sep 2014
snazzSnazz
Rated 18 Nov 2012
50
31st
The score is at times horrible. The lead is all the time horrible. The pace is slow and the action constitutes mostly of intense starring. Still, it is classic I'm glad I finally watched.
Rated 18 Nov 2012
afx237viafx237vi
Rated 30 Oct 2010
35
17th
The special effects are fantastically gruesome, but the rest is pretty humdrum. Stephen Lack's acting is among some of the worst I've ever seen, the pacing is all over the place with long stretches where sod all happens, and it has a plot that really doesn't stand up to much scrutiny. That said, it has moments of creepiness, and a dude's head does explode, which can never be a bad thing.
Rated 30 Oct 2010
freqflyerfreqflyer
Rated 01 Aug 2009
80
55th
Really good. Another Cronenberg classic.
Rated 01 Aug 2009
nathan_sNathan S
Rated 07 Jul 2020
4
74th
Companion piece to De Palma's The Fury. The corporate espionage and gruesome effects are fun. Stephen Lack is plain awful in the lead role, but otherwise this movie is rad. A bit of trashy pulp which might have been further elevated if its ideas about the evolutionary ubermensch bore out more than rough sketches lost in the systemic details of plot and sometimes plodding pace. I still appreciate the hints of transhumanism, and it even points the way to the man-machine interfaces of cyberpunk.
Rated 07 Jul 2020
lady_moeLady Moe
Rated 15 Oct 2016
78
42nd
Interesting plot with really cool special effects. It's a really strange story, but that's to be expected with Cronenberg. If you're a fan of horror special effects as usual Dick Smith does not disappoint.
Rated 15 Oct 2016
caprimodecaprimode
Rated 02 Sep 2012
55
23rd
As a big Cronenberg fan this was a letdown. Great concept about telepathic powers that starts hot with the iconic exploding head, ends pretty well, but just fuddles around in the middle. Michael Ironside gives it his all as the antagonist, but there isn't much here. Cronenberg had better films before this and much better ones after. P.S. There are ~235 known 'scanners' in the word... do they all live in this city?
Rated 02 Sep 2012
lumpnboylumpnboy
Rated 15 Jun 2012
50
53rd
This film not only caused two reputedly awful sequels, it led to the spin-off series of movies that began with 'Scanner Cop'. I have seen none of these. This film is itself a bit bland, really. Always good to see Michael Ironside though, and also, briefly and infamously, Louis Del Grande.
Rated 15 Jun 2012
kcknzkcknz
Rated 05 Sep 2018
72
44th
prologue is satisfying, dark ambience is just beautiful. but the motivation of the philosophical basis is progressively decreasing through the film. epilog is a little bit confusing, still mindfuck positive way. it seems to me 'scanners' is kind of early trying of the 'existenz'.
Rated 05 Sep 2018
irvinejumpirvinejump
Rated 14 Aug 2007
75
72nd
Utterly fantastic at the time, I think it's dated just a bit too much nowadays. But it's Cronenberg, which means it's still better than anything Speilberg will ever do. Do what I did, Grab some popcorn, a nerd you hate don't tell them what it's about then sit at the front row and watch the upchuck fly :-)
Rated 14 Aug 2007
kafka1325kafka1325
Rated 12 Feb 2007
60
53rd
Trash, good idea, trash, good idea.... I don't know...
Rated 12 Feb 2007

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