Rum Diary - Blu-Ray

Film: With Hunter S. Thompson connects Johnny Depp a very special relationship. It's not just that he's already appeared in front of the camera in the film adaptation of the cult novel Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas, directed by Terry Gilliam. It was also Depp who, while visiting Thompson at his cabin in Woody Creek, came across a manuscript that the legendary gonzo journalist had written back in 1959 but never published. Even before The Rum Diary was published four decades after the book was actually written, Depp dreamed of a cinematic adaptation. Seven years after Hunter S. Thompson's suicide, Depp's wish has finally come true under the direction of Bruce Robinson.

Rum Diary takes the viewer to Puerto Rico in 1960: journalist Paul Kemp (Johnny Depp) wants to find the success here that has eluded him in New York. When he takes up his job at the San Juan Star, he is primarily allowed to report on the bowling passion of American tourists. But then he gets to know the businessman Sanderson (Aaron Eckhart) and thus the particularly beautiful sides of Puerto Rico. This includes Sanderson's seductive mistress Chenault (Amber Heard), whom Paul immediately falls for. But when his crush turns into a passionate affair, and Paul incidentally uncovers some particularly unsavory machinations by Sanderson and his powerful associates, the air quickly becomes extremely thin for the journalist.

Rum Diary begins very promisingly. Paul's first encounter with his new boss (wonderful: Richard Jenkins) and the sometimes very weird colleagues in the newsroom are full of humorous and satirical potential, which Bruce Robinson knows how to use well here and there. But after a very biting beginning Robinson loosens up the whole thing more and more, whereby the action drifts more and more into a kind of triviality, which is only occasionally broken up by very clever ideas. The attempt to give the whole thing the twisted cult character that Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas has by means of a sequence of a wacky drug binge that doesn't appear in the book, seems to be too much of an effort to be really convincing.

There are, of course, many things that make this film worth watching nonetheless. Johnny Depp acts somewhat routinely, but still in a very entertaining, winning way that truly enhances the film. Also, the beautiful visuals shot in original locations, a wonderfully loopy Giovanni Ribisi, and a beguiling Amber Heard are also among the aspects that pull this ambitious adaptation of the novel above mediocrity. The counterbalance is provided by the somewhat undercooked love story and the somewhat too boldly realized plotline involving the business dealings of Sanderson and his influential friends. While the look at Puerto Rico's socio-political situation is served with a certain satirical malice in the first few minutes of the film, this part of the film just seems too well-behaved to do justice to Hunter S. Thompson's style.

The scenes featuring Paul with his colleague Sala (Michael Rispoli) (and especially his very particular brand of television) do make up for some of the film's less successful moments. However, even the most amusing and enjoyably poisonous moments can't hide the fact that Rum Diary leaves a lot of potential untapped and in the end is just too well-behaved and slick to really make an impression. Beautiful to look at, the film certainly is, and for the first half at least, the story is also extremely entertaining. But the big hit, which could have been expected due to the template and the actors, this Hunter S. Thompson adaptation is unfortunately not become. Therefore applies: only with deductions still worth seeing!

Picture + Sound: The audiovisual realization of the film can convince. The image of the Blu-Ray is absolutely clean and has a very good image sharpness. Also the strong colors and the excellent detail representation leave a positive impression. The sound is characterized by a very appealing atmosphere. While the well intelligible dialogues take place mainly in the foreground, some sound effects and ambient noises also provide a decent use of the surround channels.

Extras: The Blu-ray has just under an hour of bonus material to offer. The bulk is made up of ten promo interviews with the cast, director, cinematographer, producer, and costume designer (about 41 min.) There really isn't much substance to be found here. Even the uncommented B-roll footage (approx. 14 min.) doesn't offer any in-depth information about the filming and backgrounds. Finally, the disc holds the trailer for the film.

Conclusion: Rum Diary has some very good moments and can also come up with convincing actors. Nevertheless, especially in the second half of the film, the feeling remains that director Bruce Robinson has not used the full potential that offered him the template of Hunter S. Thompson. Despite its weaknesses, the film, which is technically well-realized on the Bu-Ray, is on balance thoroughly recommendable, and not just for Johnny Depp!

An article by Frankfurt-Tipp