Scanners - Ihre Gedanken können töten

Viel Spaß für wenig Geld. Man muss nur David Cronenberg sein. Jetzt verstehe ich, wie er der Regisseur von Dead Zone wurde. (09.04.2023)

Von der depressiven und beunruhigend dringenden Melodie bis zur wohl legendärsten Kopfexplosion in der Geschichte des Films deckt dieser klassische Horrorfilm viel ab. David Cronenberg beschreibt mit relativ distanzierter Haltung den mit Wendungen gewürzten Kampf seiner geheimen Organisationen, in deren Mitte ein naiver Infiltrator steht, der in eine seltsame Welt geworfen und genauso wie der Zuschauer manipuliert wird. Beim ersten Anschauen hatte ich etwas Probleme mit dem langsameren Tempo des Films, aber beim zweiten Mal hat es mich komplett mitgerissen. Ich habe jede einzelne Aufnahme förmlich verschlungen und der "Body Horror" von Cronenberg und all die praktischen Effekte haben mir ein Lächeln ins Gesicht gezaubert. (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)

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)

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)