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Scanners

Scanners

Science Fiction · Horror · 1981

A scientist trains a man with an advanced telepathic ability called 'scanning' to stop a dangerous Scanner with extraordinary psychic powers from waging war against non-Scanners.

Movie details

Scanners

“10 Seconds: The Pain Begins. 15 Seconds: You Can’t Breathe. 20 Seconds: You Explode.”

1981 Science Fiction · Horror 1h 43m

Critical arithmetic

One number, for now.

TMDB

6.7 / 10

Community rating

A scientist trains a man with an advanced telepathic ability called 'scanning' to stop a dangerous Scanner with extraordinary psychic powers from waging war against non-Scanners.

CriticWise case file

What this film says about your taste.

Not a recommendation score. A measure of how closely the film’s taste signals resemble yours.

The archetype split

Who fights over Scanners?

The split comes from the same five-axis model used by the test, not audience ratings or review sentiment.

Taste neighbourhood

Nearby on the taste map.

TMDB supplies the candidates. CriticWise reorders them by craft, strangeness, prestige, emotion, and pace.

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Names above the title

The people responsible.

Directed by

David Cronenberg

Written by

David Cronenberg

Stephen Lack

Stephen Lack

Cameron Vale

Jennifer O'Neill

Jennifer O'Neill

Kim Obrist

Michael Ironside

Michael Ironside

Darryl Revok

Patrick McGoohan

Patrick McGoohan

Dr. Paul Ruth

Lawrence Dane

Lawrence Dane

Braedon Keller

Robert A. Silverman

Robert A. Silverman

Benjamin Pierce

L

Lee Broker

Security One

Court is in session

Put Scanners on trial.

Two incompatible taste archetypes. One film. Read the arguments, then issue a completely binding cultural ruling.

The defence The Arthouse Gremlin

“Its refusal to behave is the point.”

The strange choices create the kind of friction that follows you out of the theatre and into the argument.

The prosecution The Popcorn Loyalist

“Oddness is not depth.”

A film can break every rule and still leave nothing behind but the memory of how hard it tried to be singular.