The Scribbler is part of a new wave of harder edged graphic novel adaptations that roughly began in the early 2000's with From Hell, continuing on with such films as the Sin City series, the 300 series and Watchmen back in 2009. (*For those who immediately thought of 1994's The Crow, that was technically a comic book adaptation, though the creator did go on to fashion a graphic novel version, but only after the initial comic book and film series had already been established- but it was also in the early 2000's, for the record.)
While moderately successful, it wasn't until 2016's Deadpool and 2017's Logan that the mainstream properly embraced this new approach, resulting in two of the bigger hits of those respective years. One can't help but wonder how much more of a hit those aforementioned films might have been, had they been released after those last two box office successes, but no use crying over spilled milk, I suppose.
That said, I suspect that The Scribbler may have always been destined to be a cult film, given the decidedly darker themes it tackles and the overall edginess of the proceedings. That doesn't necessarily mean it isn't a solid film, just more of an acquired taste, shall we say- much like a lot of those films I just listed. It's also, perhaps needless to say, not for the kiddies, to be sure- hence the R rating.
The original graphic novel, by writer/artist Daniel Schaffer was published by Image in 2006 and was well-received by fans of grittier comics fare. Schaffer is best-known for the comic book series Dogwitch and as the co-creator and artist behind Indigo Vertigo, a collaboration with rock band Daisy Chainsaw's vocalist, Katiejane Garside. In addition, he wrote the screenplay for 2009's Doghouse, a quirky zombie-themed horror/comedy, in which only women are affected by the cannibalistic virus.
Schaffer also did the film adaptation's screenplay, with John Suits (Pandemic) in the director's chair. Suits may be slightly better known as the producer behind such left-of-center genre and indie comedy fare as Static, Cheap Thrills, Bad Milo, 3 Nights in the Desert, Loitering with Intent, Just Before I Go, 400 Days, The Crash and Fear, Inc.
The end result is a decidedly quirky flick that plays like an even darker, sexier version of something like Sucker Punch, a film that might have actually been better served by going for a hard R rating itself, if the Director's Cut is any indication. Of course, lest we forget, the source material behind The Scribbler pre-dates Sucker Punch, so it came first, technically. But as that film is better-known, it sort of gives any potential viewers an idea of what to expect if they dive into this movie.
The story is basically this: Suki has recently been released from a mental institution and into a sort of halfway house/apartment building occupied by other former sanitarium residents. Suffering from dissociative personality disorder (aka multiple personalities), she is armed with a machine that was supposedly tailor-made to eliminate her "extra" personalities until only one is left- her "real" self.
Meanwhile, literally upon her arrival, some of her female co-residents have allegedly been taking their lives by jumping off said building. But are they really doing it- or are they being pushed by someone else in the building, covering their tracks by making it look like suicides?
The cops think Suki may be the real culprit, but as we see her witness most of the deaths, it's clear someone else is behind it...maybe. After all, she does have multiple alternate personalities, and this wouldn't be the first movie to try and fool us with an unreliable protagonist. Can Suki get to the bottom of things before she goes down for the deaths- or will she fall prey to the killer herself while trying? Or is she actually the killer, and what we're seeing not the "real" truth?
The Scribbler is blessed with an exceptionally talented cast, many of which will be familiar to fans of the superhero sub-genre. As the leading lady, Suki, there's Katie Cassidy, who will be familiar to fans of the CW's DC-verse as Laurel Lance, aka Black Canary on Arrow, as well as the alternate universe Black Siren. The characters have also cropped up on The Flash, Legends of Tomorrow and on the animated series Vixen.
As the criminal psychologist Jennifer Silk, who is investigating the suicides/murders, we have Eliza Dushku, aka Faith from the TV shows Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Angel, as well the underrated Dollhouse, also from Buffy and Angel creator Joss Whedon.
As Alice, aka Veronica, another resident of the building in which Suki lives, we have another Whedon vet, Michelle Trachtenberg, who played Buffy's sister, Dawn. Alice, another potential suspect for the suicides/murders, has a habit of lurking in the stairwells of the building, attacking anyone who uses them, for unknown reasons.
Other residents of the compound include Cleo, played by cult movie fave Gina Gershon (Showgirls, Bound); Ashlynn Yennie (The Human Centipede 1 & 2) as the frequently nude Emily; Sasha Grey (Open Windows, The Girlfriend Experience) as the surprisingly not nude Bunny; and T.V. Carpio (Across the Universe, Limitless) as Satomi, an early victim of the killer.
On the male end of things, as Hogan, the building's resident Lothario, we have Garret Dillahunt, another sci-fi regular, known for everything from TV's Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles (where he played a Terminator) to The 4400, The X-Files, Millennium, Alphas, The Gifted and Fear the Walking Dead. You might also know him from the movies No Country for Old Men, The Last House on the Left, The Road, Looper and the recent Widows.
As the lead detective investigating the murder/suicides, there's Michael Imperioli, best-known for his turns in various Spike Lee movies, including Jungle Fever, Clockers and Summer of Sam (which he also co-wrote and co-produced), as well as Scorsese's Goodfellas, Dead Presidents, Lean on Me and, of course, TV's legendary The Sopranos.
As Suki's psychiatrist, Sinclair, there's another The 4400 vet, Billy Campbell, who genre fans likely remember being in everything from the underrated The Rocketeer and Coppola's adaption of Bram Stoker's Dracula to TV shows like Star Trek: The Next Generation, Eureka, The Killing, Lizzie Borden Took an Axe and Helix.
Last but not least, there's Kunal Nayyar, from TV's The Big Bang Theory, as Karem, Sinclair's lab assistant. TBH, Nayyar, Grey and Carpio are completely wasted, only cropping up in a handful of scenes that barely qualify as cameos at best, so be forewarned if you're watching this for any of those actors.
However, if you're a fan of Katie Cassidy, this is definitely her show all the way, with Dillahunt in particular providing ample support, with decent assists from Campbell, Gershon, Dushku and Imperioli- though no one is bad in their given roles, just occasionally underrepresented.
In a tricky role, Cassidy does a solid job flitting throughout various personalities she's given, before landing firmly in the super-heroine territory she's most famous for towards the end. She's by turns sad, sexy and scary, sometimes all at once. She alone might be worth the price of admission, TBH.
This is definitely one of those graphic novel/comic book adaptations with a very specifically gritty look to it, a la The Crow, Sin City, The Spirit and others of that ilk, which is to say, a sort of dark, Noir-ish vibe that may not be for everyone.
Though most of the violence is stylized as expected, the film does feature some surprisingly graphic nudity, with one character basically naked for her entire role, and Cassidy herself tackling a torrid sex scene with Dillahunt at one point- not that I'm complaining, mind you.
It doesn't exactly take a rocket scientist- or a Rocketeer, as it were- to figure out who done it, but in this case, it's definitely more about the journey than the destination. In keeping the characters colorful and the visuals eye-catching, director Suits keeps things moving at a reasonable clip, with an able assist from cinematographer Mark Putnam, who also shot Suits' Pandemic.
All in all, it's a solid enough entry in the R-Rated graphic novel/comic book adaptation arena, and well-worth a watch for those who prefer these movies to be a little more on the adult side. Cassidy is riveting, the supporting cast is fun, and the story is intriguing.
It might not be as flashy as the similar Sucker Punch, but its more grounded and less over-the-top, making what may be the superior take on the tricky subject of mental illness in the superhero-verse, perhaps best represented by the head-spinning FX show Legion.
It's not as good as the latter, but I thought it was ultimately more comprehensible and gripping than Sucker Punch, which is more style over substance, let's face it. Be that as it may, it would make for a decent double feature with the film, if you wanted to watch two variations on a similar theme.
Check it out!
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