I cannot remember the last time I had as much fun at the movie theater as I did with Scott Pilgrim vs. The World. Venturing a guess, I'd probably have to say it was watching Hot Fuzz, which was a riot! What do both film have in common, aside from being absolutely hilarious? Well, they are both directed by Edgar Wright, for one. They are also both quickly climbing up my list of favorite films.
Scott Pilgrim vs. The World is a great film on so many levels, but the one thing that strikes me every time I watch it is how much it resonates with my generation, which makes sense since creator Bryan Lee O'Malley was is only two years older than myself. The world he created and that Wright brought to life on the big screen is permeated with so many cultural references and overtones that it fits like a custom made shoe.
Without a doubt the biggest motif is the gamer (Nintendo) motif, which you can easily say is part of the frame to the Scott Pilgrim world. The film (and comic) are chuck full of Nintendo references, from the name of the band that Scott plays is (the Sex Bob Oms) to the coins Scott collects when he wins a fight. Yes, there was Atari and CalecoVision before Nintendo, but my generation literally grew up side-by-side with the home gaming system – Nintendo (NES) debuted in 1985/1986. Then right around middle school came the Super Nintendo (still awesome by the way), followed by the N64 my freshman year of high school and Goldeneye parties ruled the day. Then during college game the Nintendo GameCube and once firmly into adulthood came the Nintendo Wii. All those countless hours of game playing growing up pretty much assure that my my peers and I have a much greater appreciation for the video game references that litter the film's landscape that other demographics. In that sense, watching the film is liking hanging out with an old friend and the laughs come easily.
The story follows unemployed 22 year old Toronto native Scott Pilgrim (Michael Cera), who is getting plenty of grief from his band mates, roommate and sister about the fact that he is dating a 17 year old, Asian, Catholic high school girl named Knives Chau (Ellen Wong). Of course, they attribute this to him still not having gotten over being dumped by his ex-girlfriend who is now a hugely successful rock star. Then, quite suddenly, Scott runs into what he believes is the girl of his dreams, the enigmatic American Ramona Flowers (Mary Elizabeth Winstead). As Scott is warned early on, “She's got some battle scars, dude!”
Quite rashly (and with little thought for Knives) Scott relentlessly pursues Ramona only to discover that if he wants to be with her, he must defeat all of her seven evil exes, aka the “League of Evil Exes”, in mortal combat. Plenty of action and hilarity ensue. Will Scott be able to defeat them all? Will Scott learn some important life lessons about relationships? You'll have to watch.
Not only is Scott Pilgrim vs. the World a homerun for nostalgia, but as a comedy it is fast paced and sharp as hell! Just about every scene has a great line or bit of physical humor and the excellent casting only amplifies it. Unlike so many cheap comedies of today, the jokes hold up to repeat viewing because they are clever, well timed and well delivered, not cheap and predictable. I've seen it five times now and I find myself laughing every time. When it comes to comedy, when it is done well, it is timeless and that's how feel about this film.
Along with the comedy, this film also meshes in plenty of action seemingly without effort. Of course, nothing could be further from the truth. The action is excellent, but once I watched the “Making Of” documentary on the DVD, I really gained a better appreciation for it. The actors did most of their own stunt work and the prep work that went into this film was serious, top notch stuff! As a final product, it's pretty evident that a lot of love went into making it, something that you only get when the cast and crew really care about what they are doing; that they weren't treating it as just another job. It was a job well done.
So we have an action comedy that plays to the Nintendo motif and that is entertaining. As great as all that is, I think perhaps the most impressive element to this film is the cinematography, visual effects and editing. The editing in Scott Pilgrim vs. the World is phenomenal! I really cannot overstate how well it flows visually – it is a visual feast! It is beautifully imagined and richly populated, drawing you in almost immediately and never letting up until the credits roll. The action scenes are fast, furious and as much fun as any film you'll find. The color palettes make expert use of both subdued and vibrant tones creating an awesome hybrid of reality and fantasy, and it all works together flawlessly! The locations feel authentic and yet larger than life at the same time, very much like the comic book world on which it is based.
Ultimately the film comes across on the screen as hugely entertaining ride that you want to go on again very soon. Not surprisingly, I give Scott Pilgrim vs. the World 10/10!
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