Film Review - Scott Pilgrim vs. The World (2010)

(Edited, revised and reposted from September 5th, 2010)

"Scott Pilgrim Vs. The World"- This is a dazzling and funny cinematic hybrid that’s perfect for emo and punk rock hipsters, hardcore gaming addicts, fans of martial arts action films and those hopeless comic book lovin’ geeks.

Based on a series of graphic novels and heavily inspired by the Guitar Hero craze, the film features Michael Cera (Superbad) as the titular character out to win the affections of "Ramona Flowers", played by Mary Elizabeth Winstead (The cheerleader in Death Proof). To do so, however, our rock band bassist hero must defeat Romona’s seven evil exes- which includes the likes of Chris Evans (Captain America: The First Avenger), Brandon Routh (Superman Returns), and Jason Schwartzman (Rushmore).

Few deliver quick, intelligent quips better than Cera, Winstead is game and the young lady who plays “Knives Chau” (Ellen Wong) is super-cute. Kieran Culkin steals the show as Pilgrim’s gay roommate, "Wallace Wells". There’s a very cool cameo from a former “Punisher” that had me grinning from ear to ear.

 Writer/Director Edgar Wright (Shaun Of The Dead, Hot Fuzz and The World's End) pulls out every sight gag and F/X shot imaginable and then some- it’s shot and edited with furious, maniacal glee. The dialogue is excellent but comes at a rapid-fire pace- some of the best stuff might be missed the first time around. Altogether, this isn’t for everyone’s tastes and might try the patience of some filmgoers- I was shell-shocked at first but the film really grew on me as it progressed. It’s all great fun, if maybe a bit repetitive in the last act - then again, isn’t every comic book and video game a bit repetitive?

This film was a box office bomb and there really wasn't any legitimate reason for that- it’s proof that audiences can sometimes be their own worst enemies, endlessly bitching about a lack of creativity from Hollywood, yet scared shitless when something fresh does roll around...

8.5 out of 10

Director: Edgar Wright
Cast: Michael Cera, Mary Elizabeth Winstead, Kieran Culkin, Ellen Wong, Chris Evans, Brandon Routh, Alison Pill, Mark Webber, Anna Kendrick, Aubrey Plaza, Brie Larson and Mae Whitman
Run-Time: 112 minutes
MPAA: Rated PG-13 for stylized violence, sexual content, language and drug references