Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas (1998), directed by Terry Gilliam and based on the iconic 1971 novel by Hunter S. Thompson, is a delirious and surreal journey through the heart of American excess. A dark, absurd, and often hilarious road movie, the film stars Johnny Depp as Raoul Duke and Benicio del Toro as Dr. Gonzo, two misfit journalists who embark on a chaotic trip to Las Vegas that spirals into a psychedelic nightmare. The film’s portrayal of the counterculture of the 1960s and 1970s, combined with its exploration of the American Dream’s corruption, has made it a cult classic, appreciated for its bold, unpredictable narrative and its visual flair.

The story of Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas follows Raoul Duke, a drug-addled journalist, and his lawyer, Dr. Gonzo, as they travel to Las Vegas for a motorcycle race, armed with a suitcase full of hallucinogenic substances. Their journey, however, quickly spirals out of control as they descend deeper into a haze of paranoia, hallucination, and confusion. What starts as a journalistic endeavor soon devolves into an absurd and violent quest, driven by their addiction to drugs and their search for meaning in a world that seems increasingly absurd.