Thirteen years on from his starring role in the adaptation of Hunter S. Thompson’s Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas, Johnny Depp pays further homage in The Rum Diary. He has been the driving force behind this adaptation of one of Thompson’s early novels, written in the 1960s but not published until 1998. Depp was Bruce Robinson’s main motivation to take on the project, his last film being Jennifer Eight in 1992.

Depp’s heart is certainly in the venture - he is an avid fan of Thompson - and it shows. He gives a droll, understated performance as the journalist, Paul Kemp, who relocates from New York to Puerto Rico to work for a major newspaper. The editor and his journalists are going through the motions, printing the stories their American audience want to read while trying to enjoy the island life, principally through the medium of rum.

The opening scene sets the tone for the rest of the film; Kemp gets out of bed, staggers to the window and, as he tears open the curtains, the light reveals a bruised lip and a bloodshot eye. The action revolves around drinking and, while it does not reach Fear and Loathing levels of debauchery, it is creative enough to keep you entertained. Sala (Michael Rispoli), Kemp’s partner in crime, is a strong supporting character, while Moburg (Giovanni Ribisi) is a Nazi fanatic whose alcoholism adds an tragi-comic dimension.

The Rum Diary is not a straightforward comedy – it would be doing Thompson an enormous disservice if it was. Kemp is looking for a serious story and stumbles across a wealthy businessman, Sanderson (Aaron Eckhart), who plans to fraudulently develop an untouched island into a lucrative tourist resort. Kemp’s interest in the project is understandably enhanced by the proximity of Sanderson’s beautiful girlfriend, Chenault (Amber Heard).

Robinson maintains a strong atmosphere and utilises the setting well, perfectly recreating a degraded paradise. The Rum Diary is a vibrant and entertaining film and, while it lacks an edge and cannot match Thompson’s energy, it is nevertheless a worthwhile adaptation.