862 reviews
Scott Pilgrim vs. the World is probably as close as we'll come to having an experimental film released in theaters nationwide. This is one of the most innovative, original movies to come out in years. It's unlike anything I'd seen before. And yes, it is good, very good. I could not stop laughing the whole time.
Onto the plot. Scott is something of a loser. He's socially awkward. He shares a mattress in a bunker-like apartment in Toronto with a sarcastic gossip king. He's in a band called the Sex Bob-Ombs, but they're really not that great. He also has a clinging, hyperactive girlfriend, "Knives" who's only 17- kind of a big deal when he's 22. All this changes when he dreams of a purple haired girl on roller blades. The very next day he finds out that she's real; that her name is Ramona flowers and she's the cool new girl in town. His first attempt to hook up fails miserably. His second attempt, although even more lamed brained, actually works, and they're soon an item. But now comes the bad news; to win her love, Scott must defeat her seven evil ex's. He also has an evil ex of his own. Plus, there's the matter of breaking up with Knives, and the battle of the bands is coming up!
That's the setup, what follows is a hilarious romantic comedy punctuated by a series of completely over-the-top video game style fight scenes. Stylistically, I'd have to call them a cross between Sin City, Street Fighter and Viewtiful Joe. Each of the ex's has their own unique fighting style and their own super powers, such as vegan-powered telekinesis or summoning an army of stunt doubles. Often you hear martial arts movies criticized because the action is obviously computer aided. Here, that's the whole point.
The movie's humor comes not only from the sheer ridiculousness of the situations, but also from the characters' reactions to them. After one of the ex's has flown in through a brick wall and battled Scott in the middle of a concert, everyone is just kind of weirded out. They don't act like nothing has happened, which would make it hard for the audience to suspend their disbelief, nor do they run screaming for the police, which would only complicate matters.
Comedic effect is also generated through the use of deadpan dialog. For instance, when Knives confesses that she's never kissed a boy before, Scott replies, with a straight face "It's okay, neither have I." Or the band's self-introduction, "We're the Sex Bob-Ombs and we're here to make you all sad and depressed and stuff.
The movie also pokes gentle fun at hipster subculture with the way that Ramona has thirty plus flavors of tea, or how Scott's roommate is always texting. There are also quirky touches like one girl who can bleep herself out, much to Scott's amazement, and a scene when the intro from Seinfeld plays after the characters enter the apartment, and canned laughter follows every line.
The editing and structure are highly non-traditional, with heavy use of dreams, daydreams, montages, animated flashbacks and asides, and chapter titles introducing segments. The visuals are impressive and very imaginative, such as the way that flashes of color accompany the playing of any musical instrument, allowing you to see the sound. Speaking of which, the sound is another high point, not only the energetic, rock fueled sound track, but also the sound effects taken from classic games like Mario and Zelda.
Scott Pilgrim vs. the World succeeds in telling an offbeat story, providing interesting characters, and in producing lots of laughs. Other than a couple of too-obvious puns, I honestly can't think of anything wrong with this movie. I would highly recommend it to anyone in their teens or twenties. Four stars.
Onto the plot. Scott is something of a loser. He's socially awkward. He shares a mattress in a bunker-like apartment in Toronto with a sarcastic gossip king. He's in a band called the Sex Bob-Ombs, but they're really not that great. He also has a clinging, hyperactive girlfriend, "Knives" who's only 17- kind of a big deal when he's 22. All this changes when he dreams of a purple haired girl on roller blades. The very next day he finds out that she's real; that her name is Ramona flowers and she's the cool new girl in town. His first attempt to hook up fails miserably. His second attempt, although even more lamed brained, actually works, and they're soon an item. But now comes the bad news; to win her love, Scott must defeat her seven evil ex's. He also has an evil ex of his own. Plus, there's the matter of breaking up with Knives, and the battle of the bands is coming up!
That's the setup, what follows is a hilarious romantic comedy punctuated by a series of completely over-the-top video game style fight scenes. Stylistically, I'd have to call them a cross between Sin City, Street Fighter and Viewtiful Joe. Each of the ex's has their own unique fighting style and their own super powers, such as vegan-powered telekinesis or summoning an army of stunt doubles. Often you hear martial arts movies criticized because the action is obviously computer aided. Here, that's the whole point.
The movie's humor comes not only from the sheer ridiculousness of the situations, but also from the characters' reactions to them. After one of the ex's has flown in through a brick wall and battled Scott in the middle of a concert, everyone is just kind of weirded out. They don't act like nothing has happened, which would make it hard for the audience to suspend their disbelief, nor do they run screaming for the police, which would only complicate matters.
Comedic effect is also generated through the use of deadpan dialog. For instance, when Knives confesses that she's never kissed a boy before, Scott replies, with a straight face "It's okay, neither have I." Or the band's self-introduction, "We're the Sex Bob-Ombs and we're here to make you all sad and depressed and stuff.
The movie also pokes gentle fun at hipster subculture with the way that Ramona has thirty plus flavors of tea, or how Scott's roommate is always texting. There are also quirky touches like one girl who can bleep herself out, much to Scott's amazement, and a scene when the intro from Seinfeld plays after the characters enter the apartment, and canned laughter follows every line.
The editing and structure are highly non-traditional, with heavy use of dreams, daydreams, montages, animated flashbacks and asides, and chapter titles introducing segments. The visuals are impressive and very imaginative, such as the way that flashes of color accompany the playing of any musical instrument, allowing you to see the sound. Speaking of which, the sound is another high point, not only the energetic, rock fueled sound track, but also the sound effects taken from classic games like Mario and Zelda.
Scott Pilgrim vs. the World succeeds in telling an offbeat story, providing interesting characters, and in producing lots of laughs. Other than a couple of too-obvious puns, I honestly can't think of anything wrong with this movie. I would highly recommend it to anyone in their teens or twenties. Four stars.
- williampsamuel
- Jan 14, 2015
- Permalink
"Scott Pilgrim" is one of the most creative, fresh and original films I have seen in ages, and because of that I was in absolute awe of the film. However, despite being a terrific film, I also understand that this is NOT a film that will appeal to everyone--in fact, it's probably one of the more polarizing films I have ever seen--you'll probably either love it or hate it. While I am NOT in the target demographic group (aged 15-30 and predisposed to loving graphic novels AND video games), I did enjoy it--and am probably the rare 40-something person who loved the film. What was different about me is that I am a geek (a definite plus), enjoy video games and have a rabid comic book fan for a daughter--so I understood many of the pop culture references throughout the film. But, if you are NOT a geek, hate video games and see graphic novels more as comic books, then the movie might be a chore to watch. Plus you might just feel ooky hanging out with geeks. Don't worry, they are almost all very nice people!
So what, other than originality, did I love about this film? Well, just about everything--and I seriously considered giving the film a 10--I liked it that much. Perhaps the best thing for me was casting of Michael Cera in the lead. Unlike the traditional super-hero, he is by far the geekiest and most likable main character I have seen. Seeing such a wimpy and unassuming guy become, out of no where, like a character from Mortal Combat was a wonderful juxtaposition--you just couldn't help but smile. And, despite his nerdy looks, he was winning as Scott Pilgram...and actually played the music his on-screen band played--now that's talent. Additionally, I loved the film's gentle sense of humor---I laughed harder at this film than any film I've seen in the theater in some time. I could try to describe these moments--you just need to see them for yourself. Odd references to games like DOA, Mortal Combat, Marvel Vs. Capcom and Zelda II were great--I caught on to those due to my own geeky background. And, my familiarity with anime/manga also made me laugh--as the hair, love for girls in school uniforms and style were often straight out of Japanese comics. And, I loved how the film made me love video games and was simply much, much more fun that the original "Tron" (which I always felt was too dry--perhaps the new version will correct this).
Clever, wonderful and strange, this film is the geek's dream come true...and not a film to be missed. However, if you aren't a geek or are perhaps too old to get the pop references, I say take along an interpreter--many comic book nerds and couch potatoes would be glad to go with you and help explain things...provided you pay for the tickets.
Among the nearly 9000 reviews I have now done on IMDb, this ranks in the hallowed ranks of a very small group of movies that transcended the pack due to its utter weirdness. It's surreal and weird--and I think this makes it very special. For other films that fall into this category, try "The Happiness of the Katikuris", "Delicatessen", "Yes Nurse, No Nurse", "Tatie Danielle" and "Tampopo"--all truly unique, surreal and fabulous films.
So what, other than originality, did I love about this film? Well, just about everything--and I seriously considered giving the film a 10--I liked it that much. Perhaps the best thing for me was casting of Michael Cera in the lead. Unlike the traditional super-hero, he is by far the geekiest and most likable main character I have seen. Seeing such a wimpy and unassuming guy become, out of no where, like a character from Mortal Combat was a wonderful juxtaposition--you just couldn't help but smile. And, despite his nerdy looks, he was winning as Scott Pilgram...and actually played the music his on-screen band played--now that's talent. Additionally, I loved the film's gentle sense of humor---I laughed harder at this film than any film I've seen in the theater in some time. I could try to describe these moments--you just need to see them for yourself. Odd references to games like DOA, Mortal Combat, Marvel Vs. Capcom and Zelda II were great--I caught on to those due to my own geeky background. And, my familiarity with anime/manga also made me laugh--as the hair, love for girls in school uniforms and style were often straight out of Japanese comics. And, I loved how the film made me love video games and was simply much, much more fun that the original "Tron" (which I always felt was too dry--perhaps the new version will correct this).
Clever, wonderful and strange, this film is the geek's dream come true...and not a film to be missed. However, if you aren't a geek or are perhaps too old to get the pop references, I say take along an interpreter--many comic book nerds and couch potatoes would be glad to go with you and help explain things...provided you pay for the tickets.
Among the nearly 9000 reviews I have now done on IMDb, this ranks in the hallowed ranks of a very small group of movies that transcended the pack due to its utter weirdness. It's surreal and weird--and I think this makes it very special. For other films that fall into this category, try "The Happiness of the Katikuris", "Delicatessen", "Yes Nurse, No Nurse", "Tatie Danielle" and "Tampopo"--all truly unique, surreal and fabulous films.
- planktonrules
- Aug 12, 2010
- Permalink
Scott Pilgrim versus the World is a Canadian romantic comedy and musical based on the comic books by Bryan Lee O'Malley. Scott Pilgrim is a 22y.o teen-age-looking insecure guy and guitarist who plays in a rock band called Sex Bom-omb and is going out with a minor high-school Chinese girl, Knives. He seems content until he has a dream about a girl. She happens to appear in his real world in the form of Ramona, the ever-changing-hair-colour American recently moved to Toronto. Scott is over the moon, but he has to face his own personal demons, break up with sweet Knives and fight for Ramona's love against her seven exes.
Scott Pilgrim is one of the most refreshing teen-sophomore movies produced in the last years, and one the best movies of 2010. The movie is cute, funny, entertaining, has great characters, a terrific soundtrack and stunning visuals. The story is presented as in a video-game in which the main characters are the players, and their lives is the game. The issues regarding relationships are masqueraded by the video-game approach, but they have depth. Unlike many other movies focusing on the emotional challenges of very young people, sex is not the focus, although it does not avoid it either. The movie focus on how difficult is to make a relationship work when you fall in love whit people who already have an emotional baggage and you are insecure about yourself. Scott's fights against Ramona's exes are just a metaphoric way of putting it. Moreover, the emotions of the girl are not the focus here, but the emotions of a young man who is not obsessed with sex. How do you get a girl who has an emotional baggage when you are not an over-confident guy, your dream girl is uber-cool, and her exes were brilliant guys? The good thing is that any of this is boringly presented. On the contrary, the movie is lots of fun and does not take itself seriously.
All the actors are great in their roles: Michael Cera as Scott, Mary Elizabeth Winstead as Ramona Flowers, Ellen Wong as Knives Chau; Mark Webber, Johnny Simmons and Alison Pill as the other band members Stephen, Young and Kim. Kieran Culkin is Scott's confident grounded gay Wallace Wells, Anna Kendrick as the know it all Scott's sister Stacey, and Jason Schwartzman as the revolting Gideon Graves. However, Cera really shines in this movie, in part because his physique really portraits the character from the start.
The visuals of the movie are stunning, the camera's movement, the video-game and comic use of the screen adding to the freshness and originality of the film. The fights wit the exes are extremely funny and witty. I specially liked the fight with the Vegan ex-boyfriend, which is hilarious. Also visually stunning is the musical competition between Scott's rock band and the techno Asian twins band.
The music is truly terrific. An extra bonus to a great script.
Scott Pilgrim vs the Wold movie is not only well done but done with passion, a project cherished by the whole team and by director Edgar Wright.
The movie has freshness, soul and a special something that stays with you longer after you've seen it! It is miles away from any other young people romantic comedy lately made.
Scott Pilgrim is one of the most refreshing teen-sophomore movies produced in the last years, and one the best movies of 2010. The movie is cute, funny, entertaining, has great characters, a terrific soundtrack and stunning visuals. The story is presented as in a video-game in which the main characters are the players, and their lives is the game. The issues regarding relationships are masqueraded by the video-game approach, but they have depth. Unlike many other movies focusing on the emotional challenges of very young people, sex is not the focus, although it does not avoid it either. The movie focus on how difficult is to make a relationship work when you fall in love whit people who already have an emotional baggage and you are insecure about yourself. Scott's fights against Ramona's exes are just a metaphoric way of putting it. Moreover, the emotions of the girl are not the focus here, but the emotions of a young man who is not obsessed with sex. How do you get a girl who has an emotional baggage when you are not an over-confident guy, your dream girl is uber-cool, and her exes were brilliant guys? The good thing is that any of this is boringly presented. On the contrary, the movie is lots of fun and does not take itself seriously.
All the actors are great in their roles: Michael Cera as Scott, Mary Elizabeth Winstead as Ramona Flowers, Ellen Wong as Knives Chau; Mark Webber, Johnny Simmons and Alison Pill as the other band members Stephen, Young and Kim. Kieran Culkin is Scott's confident grounded gay Wallace Wells, Anna Kendrick as the know it all Scott's sister Stacey, and Jason Schwartzman as the revolting Gideon Graves. However, Cera really shines in this movie, in part because his physique really portraits the character from the start.
The visuals of the movie are stunning, the camera's movement, the video-game and comic use of the screen adding to the freshness and originality of the film. The fights wit the exes are extremely funny and witty. I specially liked the fight with the Vegan ex-boyfriend, which is hilarious. Also visually stunning is the musical competition between Scott's rock band and the techno Asian twins band.
The music is truly terrific. An extra bonus to a great script.
Scott Pilgrim vs the Wold movie is not only well done but done with passion, a project cherished by the whole team and by director Edgar Wright.
The movie has freshness, soul and a special something that stays with you longer after you've seen it! It is miles away from any other young people romantic comedy lately made.
The tagline for this film is "An Epic of Epic Epicness" and I couldn't agree more. After waiting in line for 3 hours after last night's Comic-Con and finally being sat in the gorgeous Balboa Theater, I didn't know what to expect. I loved the comics and the previews looked faithful. The moment the movie starts (literally; the Universal logo and theme are 8-bit) you are thrown into a comic book atmosphere with video game references aplenty.
The plot revolves around Scott Pilgrim needing to defeat the 7 Evil Exes of Ramona Flowers in order to date her and it is a harrowing sequence of battles. Each fight is crazier than the last and some are used purely for comedy, not excitement. Almost every other line is a punchline and they all work. References to TV shows, video games and comics (just like a 20-something's life would include) are everywhere and if you accept the concept of the plot, it all feels natural.
While the audience might've been biased (we held a 10-minute standing ovation for Edgar Wright when the movie finished) there's no denying that it's an excellent film. Edgar Wright has an uncanny sense of comic timing with edits and sound cues to make the picture tight and focused when it's looking for laughs.
I can't imagine a mainstream theater erupting in applause and laughter like ours did but make no mistake; this a crowd pleaser and the MOST enjoyable film I've seen in years. Don't hesitate to watch this masterpiece in a theater near you.
The plot revolves around Scott Pilgrim needing to defeat the 7 Evil Exes of Ramona Flowers in order to date her and it is a harrowing sequence of battles. Each fight is crazier than the last and some are used purely for comedy, not excitement. Almost every other line is a punchline and they all work. References to TV shows, video games and comics (just like a 20-something's life would include) are everywhere and if you accept the concept of the plot, it all feels natural.
While the audience might've been biased (we held a 10-minute standing ovation for Edgar Wright when the movie finished) there's no denying that it's an excellent film. Edgar Wright has an uncanny sense of comic timing with edits and sound cues to make the picture tight and focused when it's looking for laughs.
I can't imagine a mainstream theater erupting in applause and laughter like ours did but make no mistake; this a crowd pleaser and the MOST enjoyable film I've seen in years. Don't hesitate to watch this masterpiece in a theater near you.
Scott Pilgrim (Michael Cera) is a slacker hipster in a garage band who's dating high school girl Knives Chau (Ellen Wong). He is self-absorbed and willing to abandon Knives as soon as he meets Ramona Flowers (Mary Elizabeth Winstead). Before Scott can date Ramona, he must defeat her seven exes.
Scott is a douche. The biggest problem for me is his unlikeability. It runs counter to Cera's usual good guy persona. Everybody is blasé and sarcastic which get some good laughs.
The best thing about this is the 80s video game visual motif. Edgar Wright brings a fresh hip-without-the-irony sensibility. It also uses Toronto not as New York or as anything other than Toronto. It's refreshing and unique in a world where almost everything is a sequel.
Scott is a douche. The biggest problem for me is his unlikeability. It runs counter to Cera's usual good guy persona. Everybody is blasé and sarcastic which get some good laughs.
The best thing about this is the 80s video game visual motif. Edgar Wright brings a fresh hip-without-the-irony sensibility. It also uses Toronto not as New York or as anything other than Toronto. It's refreshing and unique in a world where almost everything is a sequel.
- SnoopyStyle
- Oct 13, 2013
- Permalink
I guess I am not the age demographic that this film is based at but I liked it. My daughter loves it, she even made me by her the DVD.
Scott Pilgrim is a magical realism/fantasy teen comedy with pop art video game visuals. Deep in its heart its just a hip, flashy teen romantic comedy.
Edgar Wright better known as the director of the Cornetto Trilogy adapts this comic book series like it was an edgy fast paced pseudo Japanese video game.
Scott Pilgrim (Michael Cera) plays bass in his garage rock band Sex Bob-omb who meets his dream girl Ramona Flowers (Elizabeth Mary Winstead) who is new in town. However he is soon pursued by Ramona's seven evil exes who all challenge Scott Pilgrim to a duel and Scott needs to keep them in check with his zaps and zingers Streetfighter style.
Cera has the right balance of geeky, slacker dude, Canadian hipster charm as Scott Pilgrim who is very likable even though he quickly ditched High School student Knives for Ramona.
The Evil Exes are a colourful bunch with some star names amongst them. Chris Evans is a skateboarding movie star whose entrance is accompanied with the Universal Pictures theme tune. Jason Schwartzman is a megalomaniac record producer. Brandon Routh is a pretentious vegan rock star with the ability to fly just like Superman.
There is a lot of scene stealing in this film like Kieran Culkin as Scott's sneaky gay roommate, Anna Kendrick as Scott's sister and particularly Ellen Wong as Knives the slightly too young ditched girlfriend who is still loyal to Scott.
I actually found this to be a fast moving, quirky, rocking, enjoyable comedy drama.
Scott Pilgrim is a magical realism/fantasy teen comedy with pop art video game visuals. Deep in its heart its just a hip, flashy teen romantic comedy.
Edgar Wright better known as the director of the Cornetto Trilogy adapts this comic book series like it was an edgy fast paced pseudo Japanese video game.
Scott Pilgrim (Michael Cera) plays bass in his garage rock band Sex Bob-omb who meets his dream girl Ramona Flowers (Elizabeth Mary Winstead) who is new in town. However he is soon pursued by Ramona's seven evil exes who all challenge Scott Pilgrim to a duel and Scott needs to keep them in check with his zaps and zingers Streetfighter style.
Cera has the right balance of geeky, slacker dude, Canadian hipster charm as Scott Pilgrim who is very likable even though he quickly ditched High School student Knives for Ramona.
The Evil Exes are a colourful bunch with some star names amongst them. Chris Evans is a skateboarding movie star whose entrance is accompanied with the Universal Pictures theme tune. Jason Schwartzman is a megalomaniac record producer. Brandon Routh is a pretentious vegan rock star with the ability to fly just like Superman.
There is a lot of scene stealing in this film like Kieran Culkin as Scott's sneaky gay roommate, Anna Kendrick as Scott's sister and particularly Ellen Wong as Knives the slightly too young ditched girlfriend who is still loyal to Scott.
I actually found this to be a fast moving, quirky, rocking, enjoyable comedy drama.
- Prismark10
- Aug 14, 2015
- Permalink
There is no other movie quite like Scott Pilgrim. It's like watching a comic book video game put to screen. The action is insane, over the top and super high energy with wonderfully creative framing and visual cues.
Going back and watching it again, it's amazing how many people are in this before they were huge. Brie Larson, Chris Evans, Anna Kendrick just to name a few. The visuals still hold up, as does the pointed commentary on hipsters.
Great music, great action, great performances. It's all around a fantastic experience. The only real downside to me is that it's based on something with a lot of content and in an effort to put a lot in here there are some moments that feel... Off. Areas where the graphic novel likely went into great detail yet the movie has to just sort of pop it in and run with it. These are mostly minor but it still prevents this from being absolutely perfect.
Going back and watching it again, it's amazing how many people are in this before they were huge. Brie Larson, Chris Evans, Anna Kendrick just to name a few. The visuals still hold up, as does the pointed commentary on hipsters.
Great music, great action, great performances. It's all around a fantastic experience. The only real downside to me is that it's based on something with a lot of content and in an effort to put a lot in here there are some moments that feel... Off. Areas where the graphic novel likely went into great detail yet the movie has to just sort of pop it in and run with it. These are mostly minor but it still prevents this from being absolutely perfect.
- questl-18592
- Jan 2, 2020
- Permalink
- gwnightscream
- Feb 12, 2018
- Permalink
I came to this films with no preconceptions of it as a movie and I have to say I am glad. I guess I was expecting another Michael Cera movie about some dopey kid in love. And thats what it is ... but done in a unusually great way. For anyone under 25 brought up on gaming (I am 30 and not) this will be just brilliant. The style of the movie with its "end of level baddies", game-play set-up and visuals are a welcome and refreshing twist on what could have been a hum-drum movie. The music rocked, the comedy was fast, slick and laugh out loud ... I'd definitely recommend this to my friends looking for something that little bit special.
- wilderblue2005
- Dec 8, 2010
- Permalink
Scott Pilgrim vs. The World has made me question just how well I fit in with my generation. According to other members of my generation, it is the movie to end all movies, and the best movie... I'm sorry... most EPIC movie ever. I'm partial to The Godfather myself. Scott Pilgrim is a film that I was looking forward to as Michael Cera has made me laugh numerous times in the past, and Edgar Wright is easily one of the more talented newer directors working today. Combined with the eye-popping visual effects, I couldn't see how these things could add up to anything less than a fun and entertaining film. Fun, to a point. Entertaining? Well...
Scott Pilgrim's first problem is the plot. The plot is self-conscious and repetitive, as well as overly laid back and easygoing. Scott Pilgrim has to defeat his new girlfriend's seven evil ex's. That's the whole plot, and at no point do we get the sense that anything is at stake for these characters. I know that probably shouldn't matter in an effects-driven popcorn movie, but with nothing to root for, or no suspense of any kind, I found the film to get boring after the first thirty minutes. That is approximately when the first evil ex shows up. They fight. He defeats him easily. Too easily. The fight isn't all that exciting as a result. And with six of these to go, the movie became a tedious experience before it was even halfway over.
Not to say the film doesn't have it's good points. Michael Cera, though not as witty as he can be, is still somewhat likable. And while the script lacks structure of any kind, it is jam- packed with hilariously quirky dialogue and brilliant sight gags. The filmmaking is generally good throughout, and as a director Edgar Wright hasn't lost his talent. Unfortunately, the poor storyline ultimately overshadowed these elements for me.
Maybe it's because I don't play video games. Maybe I just need to read the comics. Or maybe I'm just becoming less fun of a person as I mature. I want to like this movie and take the same joy from it that my generation does, but I simply can't. I'll stick to films with stories and social relevance and enjoy being the outcast. Scott Pilgrim Vs. The World gets a generous 5/10 because I feel giving it anything lower would just make me look bitter.
Scott Pilgrim's first problem is the plot. The plot is self-conscious and repetitive, as well as overly laid back and easygoing. Scott Pilgrim has to defeat his new girlfriend's seven evil ex's. That's the whole plot, and at no point do we get the sense that anything is at stake for these characters. I know that probably shouldn't matter in an effects-driven popcorn movie, but with nothing to root for, or no suspense of any kind, I found the film to get boring after the first thirty minutes. That is approximately when the first evil ex shows up. They fight. He defeats him easily. Too easily. The fight isn't all that exciting as a result. And with six of these to go, the movie became a tedious experience before it was even halfway over.
Not to say the film doesn't have it's good points. Michael Cera, though not as witty as he can be, is still somewhat likable. And while the script lacks structure of any kind, it is jam- packed with hilariously quirky dialogue and brilliant sight gags. The filmmaking is generally good throughout, and as a director Edgar Wright hasn't lost his talent. Unfortunately, the poor storyline ultimately overshadowed these elements for me.
Maybe it's because I don't play video games. Maybe I just need to read the comics. Or maybe I'm just becoming less fun of a person as I mature. I want to like this movie and take the same joy from it that my generation does, but I simply can't. I'll stick to films with stories and social relevance and enjoy being the outcast. Scott Pilgrim Vs. The World gets a generous 5/10 because I feel giving it anything lower would just make me look bitter.
- jaysilentbob37
- Aug 28, 2010
- Permalink
I was lucky enough too see this film during a test preview to an audience that weren't told what we were about too see. I was honestly expecting some odd film that really needed a lot of help but i was pleasantly surprised with how great this movie was.
The movie had everyone laughing, and i mean everyone, I've been too almost every Wright film and somehow the audience wasn't as amused as i was, but this time everyone loved it. I've never heard so much laughter in one cinema.
The jokes were fast and although silly, they weren't stupid which made for quite an enjoyable film. Wright's trademark quick cuts, and simple comedy made this film, i personally think if it were directed by anyone else it wouldn't have had the same effect.
The characters were well written and performed, every individual character fitted perfectly. The film had many scenes that were quite pointless but still quite funny for example the Seinfeld scene.
Apparently its based on a comic book series? I've never heard of them before but i certainly will look out for them now. If you're a fan of Edgar Wrights films or just good silly humour you will love this film.
Great comedy, definitely the best of 2010 8/10 Morgan
The movie had everyone laughing, and i mean everyone, I've been too almost every Wright film and somehow the audience wasn't as amused as i was, but this time everyone loved it. I've never heard so much laughter in one cinema.
The jokes were fast and although silly, they weren't stupid which made for quite an enjoyable film. Wright's trademark quick cuts, and simple comedy made this film, i personally think if it were directed by anyone else it wouldn't have had the same effect.
The characters were well written and performed, every individual character fitted perfectly. The film had many scenes that were quite pointless but still quite funny for example the Seinfeld scene.
Apparently its based on a comic book series? I've never heard of them before but i certainly will look out for them now. If you're a fan of Edgar Wrights films or just good silly humour you will love this film.
Great comedy, definitely the best of 2010 8/10 Morgan
- morganqwerty
- Jun 21, 2010
- Permalink
Scott Pilgrim (Michael Cera) is a twenty-something slacker living in Toronto, who basically leeches off his friends. Despite being in a "relationship" with Knives Chau (Ellen Wong), he keeps dreaming about another girl. He quickly finds out this dream girl, Ramona Flowers (Mary Elizabeth Winstead), is actually quite real, and decides to pursue her. But before they can truly become the couple Scott hopes for, he has to defeat her seven evil exes.
I did not think it was possible, but Edgar Wright has fairly successfully brought Bryan Lee O'Malley's epic graphic novel series to the big screen in the most uniquely entertaining way possible. It is his first adapted work, but it feels every bit as fresh (I use that word very loosely) as Shaun of the Dead and Hot Fuzz did upon their initial releases. It deviates from the books a bit (much like Matthew Vaughn's excellent adaptation of Kick-Ass earlier this year), but the majority of the film stays true to the series and gives the fans everything they might expect from a Scott Pilgrim film. Right after the film opening with an 8-bit Universal logo and score, you know you are in for a treat.
What propels Wright's epic and inspired vision is the editing style. All of the little idiosyncrasies, background/foreground items and ideas, everything that made O'Malley's books so revered in the graphic novel community are all in full force here. Some shots in the trailers suggest the comic book-style feel of the film, with the sounds of the actions appearing as words on-screen and the video game-related pop-ups appearing the same way they would in the game. But that is only the start. The entire film is filled with them, and with references to numerous pop culture entities (specifically video games), to the point that it looks and sounds like a ridiculously enhanced motion comic or game. Add to that the quick cuts and multiple panel style of the format, and you have the closest film representation of a comic since Robert Rodriguez attacked Frank Miller's Sin City.
Even with all the nods and references to the original work, Wright's film still feels very much his own work. He makes Scott Pilgrim's epic quest to defeat Ramona's exes into an understated work you will likely not see replicated too soon. After seeing Christopher Nolan's Inception just under a week ago, I did not think that mainstream Hollywood would release something so blazingly original and something so astonishly unique so close together. Scott Pilgrim vs. The World is not nearly as strong a film as Nolan's masterpiece is, but Wright has clearly given it his all here. He has sidestepped away from following the lead of other comic book/graphic novel-style films, and has created something he can truly be proud of. The visuals on display are simply remarkable, and are worth the price of a ticket all on their own. The musical choices are even better. If you have seen the trailers, you are merely only getting a hint for what Wright has in store for you here.
If I do have an issue, it is that the film is a little too exposition-heavy in the first half, and way too jumpy in the second. It never loses its tone or its style, but it becomes all too blatantly obvious where the books stop and the deviation begins. The pacing here is also a touch off, and on further research, thoroughly suggests there is material missing or altered from the final cut of the film. I understand that Wright and his co-writer Michael Bacall wanted to set-up the story and where it plans on going for the few who venture into the film without having read a single issue, but there is too much detail given in those early scenes, and not enough to pivotal moments later in the film.
Another gripe, although it is one I hope will be less bothersome on repeat viewings, is that a good chunk of the characters feel incredibly underused. The books are stacked to the brim with an eclectic mix of supporting characters, who are present in the film, but they feel very stunted and get absolutely no development. Kim Pine (Alison Pill) is a very important character in the books, but she merely appears in the background here and delivers some of the best dialogue. Wallace Wells (the absolutely incredible scene-stealer Kieran Culkin) is the moral centre and source of an incredible amount of exposition, but he is barely in the film after the first half. Envy Adams (Brie Larson) almost feels like an extended cameo as opposed to an indispensible figure in Scott's character development. But then, Chris Evans, Brandon Routh and especially Jason Schwartzman all deliver stunning performances as three of Ramona's exes, despite the lack of time on-screen.
Cera on the other hand, is perfect as Pilgrim. The character plays a little too close to his stereotypical neurotic and off-centre archetype, but it works out beautifully here. He makes the character real, and brings a depth to Scott Pilgrim that no other young actor could. He has the right look and the right sound down pat. It was a little weird to see him get so physical in some sequences, but this is a vintage fit for Cera. Although they are downplayed more than I liked, Winstead and Wong are great as Ramona and Knives. They both have a certain edge throughout the film, and even at its most ridiculous, deliver strong performances. It helps too that they have insanely good chemistry with Cera.
I jumped at the idea of an advanced screening of Scott Pilgrim vs. The World, and I do not regret seeing the film in the slightest. It is a bit of a niche movie, but it is one that is lovingly made through and through.
8/10.
(An extended review also appeared on http://www.geekspeakmagazine.com).
I did not think it was possible, but Edgar Wright has fairly successfully brought Bryan Lee O'Malley's epic graphic novel series to the big screen in the most uniquely entertaining way possible. It is his first adapted work, but it feels every bit as fresh (I use that word very loosely) as Shaun of the Dead and Hot Fuzz did upon their initial releases. It deviates from the books a bit (much like Matthew Vaughn's excellent adaptation of Kick-Ass earlier this year), but the majority of the film stays true to the series and gives the fans everything they might expect from a Scott Pilgrim film. Right after the film opening with an 8-bit Universal logo and score, you know you are in for a treat.
What propels Wright's epic and inspired vision is the editing style. All of the little idiosyncrasies, background/foreground items and ideas, everything that made O'Malley's books so revered in the graphic novel community are all in full force here. Some shots in the trailers suggest the comic book-style feel of the film, with the sounds of the actions appearing as words on-screen and the video game-related pop-ups appearing the same way they would in the game. But that is only the start. The entire film is filled with them, and with references to numerous pop culture entities (specifically video games), to the point that it looks and sounds like a ridiculously enhanced motion comic or game. Add to that the quick cuts and multiple panel style of the format, and you have the closest film representation of a comic since Robert Rodriguez attacked Frank Miller's Sin City.
Even with all the nods and references to the original work, Wright's film still feels very much his own work. He makes Scott Pilgrim's epic quest to defeat Ramona's exes into an understated work you will likely not see replicated too soon. After seeing Christopher Nolan's Inception just under a week ago, I did not think that mainstream Hollywood would release something so blazingly original and something so astonishly unique so close together. Scott Pilgrim vs. The World is not nearly as strong a film as Nolan's masterpiece is, but Wright has clearly given it his all here. He has sidestepped away from following the lead of other comic book/graphic novel-style films, and has created something he can truly be proud of. The visuals on display are simply remarkable, and are worth the price of a ticket all on their own. The musical choices are even better. If you have seen the trailers, you are merely only getting a hint for what Wright has in store for you here.
If I do have an issue, it is that the film is a little too exposition-heavy in the first half, and way too jumpy in the second. It never loses its tone or its style, but it becomes all too blatantly obvious where the books stop and the deviation begins. The pacing here is also a touch off, and on further research, thoroughly suggests there is material missing or altered from the final cut of the film. I understand that Wright and his co-writer Michael Bacall wanted to set-up the story and where it plans on going for the few who venture into the film without having read a single issue, but there is too much detail given in those early scenes, and not enough to pivotal moments later in the film.
Another gripe, although it is one I hope will be less bothersome on repeat viewings, is that a good chunk of the characters feel incredibly underused. The books are stacked to the brim with an eclectic mix of supporting characters, who are present in the film, but they feel very stunted and get absolutely no development. Kim Pine (Alison Pill) is a very important character in the books, but she merely appears in the background here and delivers some of the best dialogue. Wallace Wells (the absolutely incredible scene-stealer Kieran Culkin) is the moral centre and source of an incredible amount of exposition, but he is barely in the film after the first half. Envy Adams (Brie Larson) almost feels like an extended cameo as opposed to an indispensible figure in Scott's character development. But then, Chris Evans, Brandon Routh and especially Jason Schwartzman all deliver stunning performances as three of Ramona's exes, despite the lack of time on-screen.
Cera on the other hand, is perfect as Pilgrim. The character plays a little too close to his stereotypical neurotic and off-centre archetype, but it works out beautifully here. He makes the character real, and brings a depth to Scott Pilgrim that no other young actor could. He has the right look and the right sound down pat. It was a little weird to see him get so physical in some sequences, but this is a vintage fit for Cera. Although they are downplayed more than I liked, Winstead and Wong are great as Ramona and Knives. They both have a certain edge throughout the film, and even at its most ridiculous, deliver strong performances. It helps too that they have insanely good chemistry with Cera.
I jumped at the idea of an advanced screening of Scott Pilgrim vs. The World, and I do not regret seeing the film in the slightest. It is a bit of a niche movie, but it is one that is lovingly made through and through.
8/10.
(An extended review also appeared on http://www.geekspeakmagazine.com).
- DonFishies
- Jul 27, 2010
- Permalink
A very interesting movie I really enjoyed watching, my best character in the movie was Wallace, while the worst character was the Chinese girl, it was very annoying, the fights were fun, I felt that the movie was directed at me, I recommend watching it
So I've been a fan of Edgar Wright since his first film Shaun Of The Dead. It's one of the funniest films I've ever seen and it's one of my favorite films of all time. I always love watching this movie.
Hot Fuzz came out in 2007 and for some reason despite how much I loved Shaun Of The Dead I never saw either in theaters. I saw a huge poster for Scott Pilgrim Vs. The World a couple weeks ago after coming out of seeing Inception. I personally like Michael Cera and decided to look at it for a sec. I noticed that Edgar Wright's name was in the "Directed By" spot and that was that. I was seeing this film day one if I could. Well I just got back from a midnight showing. How's that for not missing out?
I saw a trailer for this the first time this afternoon oddly enough (August 12). The trailer looked awesome and I HAD to see it tonight.
Scott Pilgrim Vs. The World is the ultimate boss of all nerd movies. There is no beating this one. Edgar Wright once again brought fantastic comedy writing to his newest film that his first two had. If you didn't like the comedy of those films, you probably won't here either. But then again you're an idiot go watch Epic Movie.
Scott Pilgrim Vs. The World is about the titular character finding a complete hottie named Ramona Flowers played by Mary Elizabeth Winstead. He wants her and goes for it. Unfortunately for him she has 7 evil ex's who are in an Evil Ex's League. Scott has to fight and defeat them all if he wants to win and keep the heart of his lovely Ramona.
This film is insane. The nerdgasms come at you along with the laughs one after another. There's no stopping them. If you have played videos games or have any type of understanding of them in almost any form, then this movie shouldn't be too hard to follow. Characters fight in crazy game like fashion and get points and level up throughout the movie.
Cera is usually known as "that awkward kid" in pretty much everything he's in. That's still here in the beginning however once he finds his purpose as the film goes on that really fades away. The action scenes always show Pilgrim VS someone else in typical fighting game fashion. There's Zelda music played throughout people have hearts and lifebars and seeing as how this film originated from a comic there are a lot of sound effects shown on screen similarly to how they used to do on the old Batman show...but not lame.
This movie is wonderful. Everyone gives a terrific performance and all the villains Pilgrim has to face give over the top awesomeness every second they're in the film. This movie is joy from beginning to end and really entertains front to back.
SUCK ON THAT MICHAEL BAY.
Scott Pilgrim Vs. The World gets **** stars out of four. Exactly what it deserves. You won't learn anything after watching this, but you'll still love yourself for it either way. I will say that after seeing this, while walking back to my car I realized this film is a reminder as to why I want to even direct movies in the first place. GO SEE IT NOW.
Hot Fuzz came out in 2007 and for some reason despite how much I loved Shaun Of The Dead I never saw either in theaters. I saw a huge poster for Scott Pilgrim Vs. The World a couple weeks ago after coming out of seeing Inception. I personally like Michael Cera and decided to look at it for a sec. I noticed that Edgar Wright's name was in the "Directed By" spot and that was that. I was seeing this film day one if I could. Well I just got back from a midnight showing. How's that for not missing out?
I saw a trailer for this the first time this afternoon oddly enough (August 12). The trailer looked awesome and I HAD to see it tonight.
Scott Pilgrim Vs. The World is the ultimate boss of all nerd movies. There is no beating this one. Edgar Wright once again brought fantastic comedy writing to his newest film that his first two had. If you didn't like the comedy of those films, you probably won't here either. But then again you're an idiot go watch Epic Movie.
Scott Pilgrim Vs. The World is about the titular character finding a complete hottie named Ramona Flowers played by Mary Elizabeth Winstead. He wants her and goes for it. Unfortunately for him she has 7 evil ex's who are in an Evil Ex's League. Scott has to fight and defeat them all if he wants to win and keep the heart of his lovely Ramona.
This film is insane. The nerdgasms come at you along with the laughs one after another. There's no stopping them. If you have played videos games or have any type of understanding of them in almost any form, then this movie shouldn't be too hard to follow. Characters fight in crazy game like fashion and get points and level up throughout the movie.
Cera is usually known as "that awkward kid" in pretty much everything he's in. That's still here in the beginning however once he finds his purpose as the film goes on that really fades away. The action scenes always show Pilgrim VS someone else in typical fighting game fashion. There's Zelda music played throughout people have hearts and lifebars and seeing as how this film originated from a comic there are a lot of sound effects shown on screen similarly to how they used to do on the old Batman show...but not lame.
This movie is wonderful. Everyone gives a terrific performance and all the villains Pilgrim has to face give over the top awesomeness every second they're in the film. This movie is joy from beginning to end and really entertains front to back.
SUCK ON THAT MICHAEL BAY.
Scott Pilgrim Vs. The World gets **** stars out of four. Exactly what it deserves. You won't learn anything after watching this, but you'll still love yourself for it either way. I will say that after seeing this, while walking back to my car I realized this film is a reminder as to why I want to even direct movies in the first place. GO SEE IT NOW.
- jedilink109
- Aug 12, 2010
- Permalink
Edgar Wright just keeps getting better as a director, and his latest offering after the good Shaun of the Dead and better Hot Fuzz is a kind of super-speed-surrealist take on young love and imagined video-game battles. It's a geek-storm of comedy, the kind of effort that we don't get too often in movies that are dictated down by committee and tested so much for laugh ratios. There are so many things that go on in a scene in this film that some of it will pass by your head. Or maybe not; maybe it's just the right tone for a combo platter of comic-book/anime/manga/8-bit-to-PS3-video-game movie that knows itself and knows its intended audience so well that it can be so POP in its sensibility. This is a super-comedy, suffused in melodramatic romance and fiery action, for people who still wonder what it's like to be surprised at the movies.
I wish I could contain my enthusiasm for the movie enough, but it's hard to do. Wright pulls off such a high-wire act, the likes of which take me back several years ago to Kill Bill Vol. 1, or to comedy masters like Mel Brooks. The filmmaker just *gets* it, how to pull off material that is nothing too new but with an original eye and perspective for what's funny. And in this story- of Scott Pilgrim, a "hipster" with a band (of course) dating a 17 year-old Catholic high school Asian girl named Knives (of course) and who falls for another hipster girl, Ramona Flowers (beautiful Mary Winstead) who dyes her hair every several days and has seven (give or take one or two) evil ex- boyfriends (and a girlfriend) to fight to the death- the intensity and energy goes hand-in-OMFG-hand with the subject matter.
But what's even more impressive, as it was also with Hot Fuzz, is how much affection Wright really has for not just his source material, but how people who dig the culture and nature of it so much. He clearly does enjoy what's hip in music, video games, clothes, hair, action movies and kung-fu fights, but also knows how to satirize it until it bleeds its own blood. And boy does he get some juicy satire here, always in the name of good fun and, indeed, some melodrama. As Scott (Michael Cera in a kind of amalgam of his on-screen persona to a perfect nth degree) goes through these evil ex's, each with their own "quirks" and super-powers, such as one being an egotistical movie-star jerk and mega- Vegan (Chris Evans and Brandon Routh respectively, also both brilliant), we see how his character does go through an arc, that it's not all just fun and games. If a video game like No More Heroes took the perfectly- confused love tale of (500) Days of Summer, it might look like this... kinda.
What it comes down to is that for everything that is familiar, even down to the coins doing their EXPLOSION on the ground after a baddie dies, or how rock bands awesomely suck so much that they become awesome again, this is shot and scored and performed like nothing else you've seen this year, or most years. Wright keeps throwing things at the audience, and knows (or hopes) they'll keep up. At the same time it never bores with its (::I snap fingers::) rhythm, and, and if a joke doesn't fly to the sky it still gives some chuckles or belly laughs. Lines are instantly quotable, and one can't wait to tell friends and others about this character or this shot or punch, or how Jason Schwartzman reacts when he swallows his gum. It's a radioactive treasure trove of romantic comedy, blazing action, random beats, well-timed reactions and physical gestures, awkward longing, and lots of kick-ass rock songs.
In other words, if you dig it, it will be the cult movie of your time. If not... move along, or FIGHT in the arena! A+
I wish I could contain my enthusiasm for the movie enough, but it's hard to do. Wright pulls off such a high-wire act, the likes of which take me back several years ago to Kill Bill Vol. 1, or to comedy masters like Mel Brooks. The filmmaker just *gets* it, how to pull off material that is nothing too new but with an original eye and perspective for what's funny. And in this story- of Scott Pilgrim, a "hipster" with a band (of course) dating a 17 year-old Catholic high school Asian girl named Knives (of course) and who falls for another hipster girl, Ramona Flowers (beautiful Mary Winstead) who dyes her hair every several days and has seven (give or take one or two) evil ex- boyfriends (and a girlfriend) to fight to the death- the intensity and energy goes hand-in-OMFG-hand with the subject matter.
But what's even more impressive, as it was also with Hot Fuzz, is how much affection Wright really has for not just his source material, but how people who dig the culture and nature of it so much. He clearly does enjoy what's hip in music, video games, clothes, hair, action movies and kung-fu fights, but also knows how to satirize it until it bleeds its own blood. And boy does he get some juicy satire here, always in the name of good fun and, indeed, some melodrama. As Scott (Michael Cera in a kind of amalgam of his on-screen persona to a perfect nth degree) goes through these evil ex's, each with their own "quirks" and super-powers, such as one being an egotistical movie-star jerk and mega- Vegan (Chris Evans and Brandon Routh respectively, also both brilliant), we see how his character does go through an arc, that it's not all just fun and games. If a video game like No More Heroes took the perfectly- confused love tale of (500) Days of Summer, it might look like this... kinda.
What it comes down to is that for everything that is familiar, even down to the coins doing their EXPLOSION on the ground after a baddie dies, or how rock bands awesomely suck so much that they become awesome again, this is shot and scored and performed like nothing else you've seen this year, or most years. Wright keeps throwing things at the audience, and knows (or hopes) they'll keep up. At the same time it never bores with its (::I snap fingers::) rhythm, and, and if a joke doesn't fly to the sky it still gives some chuckles or belly laughs. Lines are instantly quotable, and one can't wait to tell friends and others about this character or this shot or punch, or how Jason Schwartzman reacts when he swallows his gum. It's a radioactive treasure trove of romantic comedy, blazing action, random beats, well-timed reactions and physical gestures, awkward longing, and lots of kick-ass rock songs.
In other words, if you dig it, it will be the cult movie of your time. If not... move along, or FIGHT in the arena! A+
- Quinoa1984
- Aug 11, 2010
- Permalink
The premise is this: Scott is a 22-year-old bass player in a terrible Toronto band. He falls for a "dangerously fashionable, roller blading delivery girl" with punk hair called Ramona Flowers (Mary Elizabeth Winstead), an American transplant who "starts cruising through his dreams and sailing by him at parties." He's smitten. His cheery band-groupie high school girlfriend ("and she's Chinese") Knives Chau (Ellen Wong) becomes irrelevant. The cool Ramona likes Scott too. But it turns out he must fight off Ramona's seven "evil exes." This iron-clad, if inexplicable, rule is going to shape all the reels to come.
The dialogue is witty and smart, especially at first. A lot of cartoonish, video game captions in the air ("Pow," "thunk," etc.) and other devices like scores and labels for new characters increase the feeling that this is a lively and quick-witted movie for and about the video game, texting, Facebook generation. Scott's intro line with Ramona is a silly factoid about the origins of the name Pac-Man, a bit of gaucherie he later denies. Cera has cool, quick delivery and good timing, which also help. So does the presence of Kieran Culkin (also a child star, from a child star family) as Scott's sarky, more mature gay roommate Wallace.
Kieran Culkin is aging convincingly. But Cera, what of him? The androgynous, squeaky-voiced Canadian has been acting since he was eleven: he's a pro. Paradoxically, he projects his insecure young men roles with utter ease and confidence: there's got to be an element of the passive-aggressive in this whole nerd-superman concept. Though Cera's character is 22, and seems to have had a string of girlfriends, it's logical that Scott's dating a high school girl. Cera seemed fresh and charming in his first big roles. He can project a wistful, romantic quality that came through nicely in 'Nick and Norah's Infinite Playlist.' Now he seems to be playing roles tailored exclusively for him, like 'Youth in Revolt,
based on a not-very-profound series of young adult novels (contrast the tougher, more honest writing of S.E. Hinton that produced a quartet of classic Eighties youth pictures). Youth in Revolt wound up rather limp as a movie -- and began to show Cera's lack of range, which is not disguised by the massive use of loud fast CGI for his duels with ex-boyfriends of his girlfriend here.
Actually in 'Scott Pilgrim' Ramona is the character who seems most real. Winstead's speech sounds more sincere and less arch than anybody else's. Her character perhaps is so cool she need not put spin on her words.
"They make movies in Toronto?" So goes one of many cute throwaway lines in a movie that before it's burned up its cred brings many smiles, and plenty of full-on laughs too.
But then 'Scott Pilgrim vs. the World's' fortunes go south. Strangely, this little indie comedy turns into a noisy CGI-ridden feast of pointless violence that makes you want to hold your ears and look at your watch. Why does this happen? One reason is that Edgar Wright, the director, hitherto renowned for the already classic zombie comedy 'Shaun of the Dead' and the charming, energetic cop comedy 'Hot Fuzz,' is English. Both films are deeply rooted in Englishness. If Toronto has a native spirit, Wright isn't tuned in to it. 'Scott Pilgrim' tries to be about so many things and the fault is in the writing. Why should Scott have to battle all these exes to begin with?
Scott's forced battles become repetitious. The theme of repetition itself is forced on us. Not only is one of the exes actually twins. Scott himself is doubled at one point, and a movie star ex (occasion for that Toronto joke) turns out to have half a dozen stunt doubles who fight for him while he goes out for coffee. The climactic scene where Scott confronts rock impresario ex Brendan, played by Jason Schwartzman, another actor not aging well, seems heavy-handed. It's run twice, once with Scott's fighting strength empowered by love, the second by his need for self-respect. It's frankly hard to see much difference between these two versions. You may just wanted it to end. But it has to end twice, and the closing credits are very drab.
The fight sequences have flashy moments and it's droll to have an androgynous nerd battling Superman (Brandon Routh) and, as the movie star, a champion skateboarder (Lucas Lee). Music for Scott's band, Sex-Bob-Omb, was written by Beck. A lot is going on, and many of the invasive visual tricks work because they speed up the action (all very youth-ADD-text messaging friendly). Nothing here is for slow people. If anything the trouble is not that Wright is a slouch, for he is anything but. It's that he tries too hard. That was true to some extent in 'Hot Fuzz.' And most of the characters introduced at the beginning who contributed to the feeling of being in a real place are thrown away, ceasing to matter, except for brief visual recognition, toward the end.
At moments the wintry exteriors of Scott Pilgrim's Toronto and his too-cool, geeky, slightly depressed young friends will bring to mind Terry Zwigoff's 2001 'Ghost World,' also made from a graphic novel, also populated by slackers. Probably 'Scott Pilgrim' could have got by with a measure of its Pow! and Thunk! labels and cyber-world air battles, and still created something of the atmosphere and feel of real young lives as 'Ghost World' quite hauntingly does. But that didn't happen, and all I got was a metaphorical lousy T shirt saying I've seen another Michael Cera movie.
The dialogue is witty and smart, especially at first. A lot of cartoonish, video game captions in the air ("Pow," "thunk," etc.) and other devices like scores and labels for new characters increase the feeling that this is a lively and quick-witted movie for and about the video game, texting, Facebook generation. Scott's intro line with Ramona is a silly factoid about the origins of the name Pac-Man, a bit of gaucherie he later denies. Cera has cool, quick delivery and good timing, which also help. So does the presence of Kieran Culkin (also a child star, from a child star family) as Scott's sarky, more mature gay roommate Wallace.
Kieran Culkin is aging convincingly. But Cera, what of him? The androgynous, squeaky-voiced Canadian has been acting since he was eleven: he's a pro. Paradoxically, he projects his insecure young men roles with utter ease and confidence: there's got to be an element of the passive-aggressive in this whole nerd-superman concept. Though Cera's character is 22, and seems to have had a string of girlfriends, it's logical that Scott's dating a high school girl. Cera seemed fresh and charming in his first big roles. He can project a wistful, romantic quality that came through nicely in 'Nick and Norah's Infinite Playlist.' Now he seems to be playing roles tailored exclusively for him, like 'Youth in Revolt,
based on a not-very-profound series of young adult novels (contrast the tougher, more honest writing of S.E. Hinton that produced a quartet of classic Eighties youth pictures). Youth in Revolt wound up rather limp as a movie -- and began to show Cera's lack of range, which is not disguised by the massive use of loud fast CGI for his duels with ex-boyfriends of his girlfriend here.
Actually in 'Scott Pilgrim' Ramona is the character who seems most real. Winstead's speech sounds more sincere and less arch than anybody else's. Her character perhaps is so cool she need not put spin on her words.
"They make movies in Toronto?" So goes one of many cute throwaway lines in a movie that before it's burned up its cred brings many smiles, and plenty of full-on laughs too.
But then 'Scott Pilgrim vs. the World's' fortunes go south. Strangely, this little indie comedy turns into a noisy CGI-ridden feast of pointless violence that makes you want to hold your ears and look at your watch. Why does this happen? One reason is that Edgar Wright, the director, hitherto renowned for the already classic zombie comedy 'Shaun of the Dead' and the charming, energetic cop comedy 'Hot Fuzz,' is English. Both films are deeply rooted in Englishness. If Toronto has a native spirit, Wright isn't tuned in to it. 'Scott Pilgrim' tries to be about so many things and the fault is in the writing. Why should Scott have to battle all these exes to begin with?
Scott's forced battles become repetitious. The theme of repetition itself is forced on us. Not only is one of the exes actually twins. Scott himself is doubled at one point, and a movie star ex (occasion for that Toronto joke) turns out to have half a dozen stunt doubles who fight for him while he goes out for coffee. The climactic scene where Scott confronts rock impresario ex Brendan, played by Jason Schwartzman, another actor not aging well, seems heavy-handed. It's run twice, once with Scott's fighting strength empowered by love, the second by his need for self-respect. It's frankly hard to see much difference between these two versions. You may just wanted it to end. But it has to end twice, and the closing credits are very drab.
The fight sequences have flashy moments and it's droll to have an androgynous nerd battling Superman (Brandon Routh) and, as the movie star, a champion skateboarder (Lucas Lee). Music for Scott's band, Sex-Bob-Omb, was written by Beck. A lot is going on, and many of the invasive visual tricks work because they speed up the action (all very youth-ADD-text messaging friendly). Nothing here is for slow people. If anything the trouble is not that Wright is a slouch, for he is anything but. It's that he tries too hard. That was true to some extent in 'Hot Fuzz.' And most of the characters introduced at the beginning who contributed to the feeling of being in a real place are thrown away, ceasing to matter, except for brief visual recognition, toward the end.
At moments the wintry exteriors of Scott Pilgrim's Toronto and his too-cool, geeky, slightly depressed young friends will bring to mind Terry Zwigoff's 2001 'Ghost World,' also made from a graphic novel, also populated by slackers. Probably 'Scott Pilgrim' could have got by with a measure of its Pow! and Thunk! labels and cyber-world air battles, and still created something of the atmosphere and feel of real young lives as 'Ghost World' quite hauntingly does. But that didn't happen, and all I got was a metaphorical lousy T shirt saying I've seen another Michael Cera movie.
- Chris Knipp
- Aug 13, 2010
- Permalink
This is truly a brilliant, refreshing movie. I must say that I didn't quite know what to expect but except that I thought this movie was for teenagers and I was terribly wrong.
I am 40 years old and I TRULY enjoyed this movie and it had a clear story line that targeted more than just teenagers. In addition, I saw every age group, race, gender in the screening that I attended which was impressive and we all were jumping and laughing at every scene as if we were all teenagers.
I truly left the movie saying that " I cant wait to see more films put out by "Oni Productions/Closed on Mondays ". Well done !!!!!
I am 40 years old and I TRULY enjoyed this movie and it had a clear story line that targeted more than just teenagers. In addition, I saw every age group, race, gender in the screening that I attended which was impressive and we all were jumping and laughing at every scene as if we were all teenagers.
I truly left the movie saying that " I cant wait to see more films put out by "Oni Productions/Closed on Mondays ". Well done !!!!!
I recognize and admit that this is a good film, arguably even a great one. It has a very unique sense of humour, a visual style that's one of the few I've seen that manages to capture the essence of comic books and a character cast that's certainly memorable if not identifiable. That being said, I still loath this film. I do not like it. However, I have given it seven out of ten, because I can admit that the reason I don't like this film has nothing to do with its quality. Rather I hate its roster of characters, especially the main cast, and its morals.
Scott Pilgrim vs. the World is a movie about a young man. The youngster in question isn't even that interesting. He's in a band, sure, but otherwise he's kind of a wimp. The kind of a nerd that other nerds will feel superior towards. Plus he's kind of an asshole, cheating behind the backs of his girlfriends just because he's too much of a coward or perhaps just too lazy to break up with them. He's not an admirable man, yet the whole movie revolves around him and his decisions. His "heroics". Now, some might claim that Scott is a perfect main character because of this, because he's the perfect everyman. Perhaps a bit of a pessimistic version of one, but still, he's very bland and normal, only the circumstances into which he is thrust upon are extraordinary. I however argue that a) he's an asshole and not at all likable, and b) movie's are supposed to inspire us, to show us something that we don't see in our everyday life.
At this point someone will argue that not every film has to be all about moral triumph and the nobleness of human mind. And that person would be right. I'm not claiming that my viewpoints have any kind of superiority here, they're only my personal take on this film. But I think that my viewpoints have relevance as they're one way to look at this film, a rather rare way from what I've gathered, but a way nonetheless. And sometimes the more extreme opinions, the rarer ones, are the ones worth sharing.
But as I've said, this is not a bad film. It has style, its actions scenes are some of the best there are, its dialogue is very fast-paced and brimmed with jokes and double meanings. And while I think that most characters in this film aren't pretty loathsome human beings, I cannot claim that they do not feel realistic. Their behaviour is sometimes very outlandish and caricature-like, but beneath all that they're still just like people that I've met and known in real life. The morals and worldviews of this film are pretty horrible, but perhaps the reason I hate the film so much is because the message hits so close to home. It's quite possible that I just don't want to face the truth.
So yeah, in the end I feel that I have to recommend this film to you. I personally don't like it, but it's just me. Love it or hate it, you at least owe it to yourselves to see this film and form your own opinions.
Scott Pilgrim vs. the World is a movie about a young man. The youngster in question isn't even that interesting. He's in a band, sure, but otherwise he's kind of a wimp. The kind of a nerd that other nerds will feel superior towards. Plus he's kind of an asshole, cheating behind the backs of his girlfriends just because he's too much of a coward or perhaps just too lazy to break up with them. He's not an admirable man, yet the whole movie revolves around him and his decisions. His "heroics". Now, some might claim that Scott is a perfect main character because of this, because he's the perfect everyman. Perhaps a bit of a pessimistic version of one, but still, he's very bland and normal, only the circumstances into which he is thrust upon are extraordinary. I however argue that a) he's an asshole and not at all likable, and b) movie's are supposed to inspire us, to show us something that we don't see in our everyday life.
At this point someone will argue that not every film has to be all about moral triumph and the nobleness of human mind. And that person would be right. I'm not claiming that my viewpoints have any kind of superiority here, they're only my personal take on this film. But I think that my viewpoints have relevance as they're one way to look at this film, a rather rare way from what I've gathered, but a way nonetheless. And sometimes the more extreme opinions, the rarer ones, are the ones worth sharing.
But as I've said, this is not a bad film. It has style, its actions scenes are some of the best there are, its dialogue is very fast-paced and brimmed with jokes and double meanings. And while I think that most characters in this film aren't pretty loathsome human beings, I cannot claim that they do not feel realistic. Their behaviour is sometimes very outlandish and caricature-like, but beneath all that they're still just like people that I've met and known in real life. The morals and worldviews of this film are pretty horrible, but perhaps the reason I hate the film so much is because the message hits so close to home. It's quite possible that I just don't want to face the truth.
So yeah, in the end I feel that I have to recommend this film to you. I personally don't like it, but it's just me. Love it or hate it, you at least owe it to yourselves to see this film and form your own opinions.
- Vartiainen
- Dec 4, 2012
- Permalink
- Likes_Ninjas90
- Aug 28, 2010
- Permalink
I heard many good things about this movie before I went to see it. Even so, I didn't go in with too many expectations
I wasn't disappointed. This was probably the most enjoyable movie I've seen so far this year. I walked out of the cinema with a smile on my face and there was even a spring in my step as I went over the preceding 112 minutes in my mind.
Scott Pilgrim is a 22 year-old living in Toronto, Canada with his gay flatmate, Wallace Wells. Scott plays bass in a band called Sex Bob-Omb which consists of Scott (of course), Kim Pine on drums, Stephen Stills on lead vocals and guitar and Young Neil as hanger-on. The band has ambitions to be famous and so have a gig coming up at a Battle of the Bands show. At the start of the film he is dating a seventeen year old schoolgirl called Knives Chau. Things seem to be going along quite well until Scott has a vision of a girl called Ramona Flowers. He becomes besotted by her and they end up hanging out together and eventually dating. Unfortunately Scott soon learns that if he wants to date Ramona he must first defeat her seven evil exe's! Can Scott defeat these evil exe's and win Ramona? What will Knives think of his infidelity? All these questions and many more remain to be answered until you've seen the film of course.
As I said at the beginning, this was probably the most enjoyable film I've watched so far this year. I found the quirky mix of live action with comic book elements quite refreshing and it gave the film an interesting look and feel that I liked a lot! Great performances all round, especially from Michael Cera as Scott Pilgrim, Mary Elizabeth Winstead as Ramona Flowers, Kieran Culkin as Wallace Wells, Mark Webber as Stephen Stills, Alison Pill as Kim Pine and Ellen Wong as Knives Chau.
This will most certainly feature in my best of the year awards in December. It did start to lose me a bit towards the end, but I won't hold that against it. A really well made film which deserves the praise it has got (IMO). Well worth the entrance fee and very highly recommended.
My score: 8.3/10
Scott Pilgrim is a 22 year-old living in Toronto, Canada with his gay flatmate, Wallace Wells. Scott plays bass in a band called Sex Bob-Omb which consists of Scott (of course), Kim Pine on drums, Stephen Stills on lead vocals and guitar and Young Neil as hanger-on. The band has ambitions to be famous and so have a gig coming up at a Battle of the Bands show. At the start of the film he is dating a seventeen year old schoolgirl called Knives Chau. Things seem to be going along quite well until Scott has a vision of a girl called Ramona Flowers. He becomes besotted by her and they end up hanging out together and eventually dating. Unfortunately Scott soon learns that if he wants to date Ramona he must first defeat her seven evil exe's! Can Scott defeat these evil exe's and win Ramona? What will Knives think of his infidelity? All these questions and many more remain to be answered until you've seen the film of course.
As I said at the beginning, this was probably the most enjoyable film I've watched so far this year. I found the quirky mix of live action with comic book elements quite refreshing and it gave the film an interesting look and feel that I liked a lot! Great performances all round, especially from Michael Cera as Scott Pilgrim, Mary Elizabeth Winstead as Ramona Flowers, Kieran Culkin as Wallace Wells, Mark Webber as Stephen Stills, Alison Pill as Kim Pine and Ellen Wong as Knives Chau.
This will most certainly feature in my best of the year awards in December. It did start to lose me a bit towards the end, but I won't hold that against it. A really well made film which deserves the praise it has got (IMO). Well worth the entrance fee and very highly recommended.
My score: 8.3/10
Teenager problems (find yourself, get real, etc.) might not give anything to people considering themselves mayor adults, but consider this is a movie built on arcade video gaming motifs, I don't think it concerns mayor adults at all in the first place. I for one did not necessarily long for dark moral drama in this particular movie at all, I think the story was just about right for this movie, but you decide, if this is childish watch Haneke.
Now for the rest: Surprisingly, Scott Pilgrim features the best martial arts scenes in years. Every fight is choreographed and executed in the most awesome ways and the fact that it's not Jet Lee pulling off these moves makes it even more fun to watch. And you get the fights absolutely frequently which is really, really satisfying. The editing is incredibly skillful as probably the most crucial element that makes this work. It gives the movie an incredible rhythm, reaching new levels of dynamism and the use of CGI and the visual design is plain fantastic. The amount of creativity put into this part is mind- blowing, resulting genuine and most original style. The cast is cool and I don't think anyone should look for academy material here. I liked these kids and they suit the movie.
So, all together I found Scott Pilgrim being one of the most original, exciting and fun productions I've seen in my life. As a huge fan of things like fighting games, comics, or martial arts anime I felt satisfied to a point of screaming 'awesome' out loud after 30 minutes into the movie. Though people who never played Street Fighter or kept crossing fingers for Goku and friends yelling 'kamehameha' as evil bosses get pulverized by energy beams might not really get what Scott Pilgrim is about, it's very hard to deny the originality featured and the creative and professional qualities of the way it's executed.
Fantastic! 8/10
Now for the rest: Surprisingly, Scott Pilgrim features the best martial arts scenes in years. Every fight is choreographed and executed in the most awesome ways and the fact that it's not Jet Lee pulling off these moves makes it even more fun to watch. And you get the fights absolutely frequently which is really, really satisfying. The editing is incredibly skillful as probably the most crucial element that makes this work. It gives the movie an incredible rhythm, reaching new levels of dynamism and the use of CGI and the visual design is plain fantastic. The amount of creativity put into this part is mind- blowing, resulting genuine and most original style. The cast is cool and I don't think anyone should look for academy material here. I liked these kids and they suit the movie.
So, all together I found Scott Pilgrim being one of the most original, exciting and fun productions I've seen in my life. As a huge fan of things like fighting games, comics, or martial arts anime I felt satisfied to a point of screaming 'awesome' out loud after 30 minutes into the movie. Though people who never played Street Fighter or kept crossing fingers for Goku and friends yelling 'kamehameha' as evil bosses get pulverized by energy beams might not really get what Scott Pilgrim is about, it's very hard to deny the originality featured and the creative and professional qualities of the way it's executed.
Fantastic! 8/10
- bennyhagen
- Nov 11, 2010
- Permalink
Scott Pilgrim is one of the most fun movies I've seen all year. Sure, it's marketed towards nerds, gamers, and comic book geeks, but that doesn't mean it's not accessible to the average movie goer, or at least the average male movie goer ages 16-26. It's cute, energizing, and entertaining with good music, hot chicks, and some hardcore, sword fighting, skateboard slinging, karate chop chopping battle scenes that look like they were ripped out a Street Fighter vs. Speed Racer online battle. Enough with the nerd lingo though, let's get to the plot.
Scott Pilgrim got his heart broken. His rebound is a 17 year old Asian Catholic high school girl. It doesn't get anymore cliché than that. She's cute, but annoying, and when he meets the new girl, with enough pink hair and indie outerwear to make an emo boy drool, he undoubtedly falls in love. The problem? For some reason, the new girl has seven evil exes, all bound to make an appearance on the battle field when Scott least expects it. What follows is hot, hilarious, and, at times, outrageous with scenes that give any recent action flick a run for it's money when it comes to entertainment.
Regardless of the high energy adrenaline that runs through Scott Pilgrim, you've got to wonder, is it funny? I can say wholeheartedly that I laughed, at times, out loud. It's little nuances that Michael Cera has down to a T, that truly make the movie. I can't necessarily say why he's so funny in this film (and I didn't particularly like him in Juno), but he is. Rather than model the character after the comic book, it seems like the character was almost carved out of Cera himself. What results is very frequently funny.
So what are the negatives? For one, the film is a little bit long. Not only are there seven battle scenes, but some of them are drawn out way too long (especially the final scene). There is such a thing as too much of a good thing, and in Scott Pilgrim, we see it. Also, there isn't always enough differentiation between battles. By the end of the movie, things feel a bit stale and fall a bit flat as opposed to the opening scenes that set the stage. Lastly, as much as I praise Cera for his spot on performance in the film, I also have to give him a slightly negative critique when looking at his character because he is such a loser, yet he manages to score some really sexy chicks. I know it's a movie and anything is possible, but seriously, Scott Pilgrim wouldn't be in the running for any of these girls regardless of what band he's in.
All in all, Scott Pilgrim offers some good, fun, mindless entertainment. It's smart, funny, cute, and cuddly, and I'd especially recommend it for teenagers and males ages 16-26. Would I recommend it to my parents? No. The indie guy down the hall that watches foreign films? No. The film student who prefers documentaries? No. Anyone looking for a fun tribute to video games, heartache, and progressive rock music? Spot on spot on.
Michael Buffa Editor, Popcorn Jury http://www.popcornjury.com
Scott Pilgrim got his heart broken. His rebound is a 17 year old Asian Catholic high school girl. It doesn't get anymore cliché than that. She's cute, but annoying, and when he meets the new girl, with enough pink hair and indie outerwear to make an emo boy drool, he undoubtedly falls in love. The problem? For some reason, the new girl has seven evil exes, all bound to make an appearance on the battle field when Scott least expects it. What follows is hot, hilarious, and, at times, outrageous with scenes that give any recent action flick a run for it's money when it comes to entertainment.
Regardless of the high energy adrenaline that runs through Scott Pilgrim, you've got to wonder, is it funny? I can say wholeheartedly that I laughed, at times, out loud. It's little nuances that Michael Cera has down to a T, that truly make the movie. I can't necessarily say why he's so funny in this film (and I didn't particularly like him in Juno), but he is. Rather than model the character after the comic book, it seems like the character was almost carved out of Cera himself. What results is very frequently funny.
So what are the negatives? For one, the film is a little bit long. Not only are there seven battle scenes, but some of them are drawn out way too long (especially the final scene). There is such a thing as too much of a good thing, and in Scott Pilgrim, we see it. Also, there isn't always enough differentiation between battles. By the end of the movie, things feel a bit stale and fall a bit flat as opposed to the opening scenes that set the stage. Lastly, as much as I praise Cera for his spot on performance in the film, I also have to give him a slightly negative critique when looking at his character because he is such a loser, yet he manages to score some really sexy chicks. I know it's a movie and anything is possible, but seriously, Scott Pilgrim wouldn't be in the running for any of these girls regardless of what band he's in.
All in all, Scott Pilgrim offers some good, fun, mindless entertainment. It's smart, funny, cute, and cuddly, and I'd especially recommend it for teenagers and males ages 16-26. Would I recommend it to my parents? No. The indie guy down the hall that watches foreign films? No. The film student who prefers documentaries? No. Anyone looking for a fun tribute to video games, heartache, and progressive rock music? Spot on spot on.
Michael Buffa Editor, Popcorn Jury http://www.popcornjury.com
- PopcornJury
- Nov 28, 2010
- Permalink
After success in Britain making Spaced, Shaun of the Dead and Hot Fuzz, Edgar Wright has been given the chance to direct a Hollywood film, Scott Pilgrim vs. the World. And Wright was does not disappoint with this action, comedy comic book adaptation.
Set in the Canadian city Toronto we follow our hero Scott Pilgrim (Michael Cera), a slacker dating a 17-year-old high schooler Knives Chau (Ellen Wong) and the bass guitarist for the Sex Bob-omb. But Scott is recovering from a nasty break up and he falls literally for the girl of his dreams, Ramona Flowers (Mary Elizabeth Winstead). He tries to win her over, but there is a big problem, he has to defeat her seven evil exs, including Matthew Patel (Satya Bhabha), Lucas Lee (Chris Evans), Todd Ingram (Brandon Routh), Roxy Ritcher (Mae Whitman) and the worst of them all Gideon (Jason Schwartzman).
Scott Pilgrim vs. the World is a visually rich film, with Wright literally makes a live action comic book. He brings in the style of the comic book into the film with little visual touches like words coming up onto the screen, using images from the comic for telling some backstory to using panels to great affect. The fights were done with incredible skill and Wright employs the style of Capcom beat-'em-ups, with the opening of a fight shot like a landscape and used visual lettering like in though games. The fights were wonderfully shot and edited, with the camera placed in the right areas and shows that Paul Greengrass style shaky-cam and quick cutting is not needed: audiences want to see what happens in a fight scene. Wright also employ other video game references, like the extra life was reminded me of the Sonic the Hedgehog games I enjoyed in my youth, 3D beat-'em-ups like Virtual Fighter and Soul Calibur and arcade games like Donkey Kong. There is also a video game style score to go with the indie-rock preformed by the bands.
There is a great amount of comedy in the film. Scott Pilgrim vs. the World starts out a witty, dialogue that offers smiles and chuckles, but no real belly lasts: yet they include later on there are more jokes, involving clever observations, great characters, physical humour and how real young people. Wright and graphic novelist Bryan Lee O'Malley do understand both young people and how pop culture. Much of the humour is very sarcastic, particularly from the female characters.
There is a excellent cast. Cera gave his best performance as a slacker with personal baggage and well cast. Winstead too was brilliant as Ramona Flowers, leaves plenty of mystery in her character and well, she has a great body: I particularly like her fight with Whitman as Roxy Ritcher. Wong was good as Knives and also fun to look, I enjoyed her naïve young girl act who is just excited to be dating someone older but not confidence about doing anything with Scott. She grows as a character. Alison Pill and Anna Kendrick both offer a lot of sarcastic humour and do it very well: Pill did have a good supporting role but I would have liked to have seen more of Kendrick. Kieran Culkin had a good as Wallace Wells, Scott's gay roommate who is a gossip and willing to annoy people, but a good friend when it court. Culkin is smart simply plays the character as a normal man who happens to be gay, not a gay man, his performance was more natural that way. Out of the exs Schwartzman is perfectly slimy as the leader of evil exs, Routh was very funny as a dimwitted psychic with no morals and hopefully he will get to play Superman again and Evans was very good as an over the top action star with a deliberately gruff voice and speaking in action clichés. Whitman was also good in performance.
Scott Pilgrim vs. the World is a excellent alternative comic book film, one of the best. It can stand along side films like Sin City and 300 and it is an excellent action-comedy. But I still think Kick-Ass is the best comic-book adaptation of 2010.
Set in the Canadian city Toronto we follow our hero Scott Pilgrim (Michael Cera), a slacker dating a 17-year-old high schooler Knives Chau (Ellen Wong) and the bass guitarist for the Sex Bob-omb. But Scott is recovering from a nasty break up and he falls literally for the girl of his dreams, Ramona Flowers (Mary Elizabeth Winstead). He tries to win her over, but there is a big problem, he has to defeat her seven evil exs, including Matthew Patel (Satya Bhabha), Lucas Lee (Chris Evans), Todd Ingram (Brandon Routh), Roxy Ritcher (Mae Whitman) and the worst of them all Gideon (Jason Schwartzman).
Scott Pilgrim vs. the World is a visually rich film, with Wright literally makes a live action comic book. He brings in the style of the comic book into the film with little visual touches like words coming up onto the screen, using images from the comic for telling some backstory to using panels to great affect. The fights were done with incredible skill and Wright employs the style of Capcom beat-'em-ups, with the opening of a fight shot like a landscape and used visual lettering like in though games. The fights were wonderfully shot and edited, with the camera placed in the right areas and shows that Paul Greengrass style shaky-cam and quick cutting is not needed: audiences want to see what happens in a fight scene. Wright also employ other video game references, like the extra life was reminded me of the Sonic the Hedgehog games I enjoyed in my youth, 3D beat-'em-ups like Virtual Fighter and Soul Calibur and arcade games like Donkey Kong. There is also a video game style score to go with the indie-rock preformed by the bands.
There is a great amount of comedy in the film. Scott Pilgrim vs. the World starts out a witty, dialogue that offers smiles and chuckles, but no real belly lasts: yet they include later on there are more jokes, involving clever observations, great characters, physical humour and how real young people. Wright and graphic novelist Bryan Lee O'Malley do understand both young people and how pop culture. Much of the humour is very sarcastic, particularly from the female characters.
There is a excellent cast. Cera gave his best performance as a slacker with personal baggage and well cast. Winstead too was brilliant as Ramona Flowers, leaves plenty of mystery in her character and well, she has a great body: I particularly like her fight with Whitman as Roxy Ritcher. Wong was good as Knives and also fun to look, I enjoyed her naïve young girl act who is just excited to be dating someone older but not confidence about doing anything with Scott. She grows as a character. Alison Pill and Anna Kendrick both offer a lot of sarcastic humour and do it very well: Pill did have a good supporting role but I would have liked to have seen more of Kendrick. Kieran Culkin had a good as Wallace Wells, Scott's gay roommate who is a gossip and willing to annoy people, but a good friend when it court. Culkin is smart simply plays the character as a normal man who happens to be gay, not a gay man, his performance was more natural that way. Out of the exs Schwartzman is perfectly slimy as the leader of evil exs, Routh was very funny as a dimwitted psychic with no morals and hopefully he will get to play Superman again and Evans was very good as an over the top action star with a deliberately gruff voice and speaking in action clichés. Whitman was also good in performance.
Scott Pilgrim vs. the World is a excellent alternative comic book film, one of the best. It can stand along side films like Sin City and 300 and it is an excellent action-comedy. But I still think Kick-Ass is the best comic-book adaptation of 2010.
- freemantle_uk
- Sep 11, 2010
- Permalink