SCOTT PILGRIM VS. THE WORLD
Based on Bryan Lee O'Malley's Oni Press comic book of the same name, Scott Pilgrim vs. the World follows the eponymous slacker rocker on his colorful quest to defeat his dream girl's seven evil ex-boyfriends. Twenty-two-year-old Scott Pilgrim (Michael Cera) may not have a job, but rocking the bass for his band, Sex Bob-omb, is a tough job unto itself. When Scott locks eyes with Ramona Flowers (Mary Elizabeth Winstead), he knows she's the girl he wants to grow old with. But Ramona has some serious baggage; her supercharged exes rue the thought of her being with another man, and they'll crush any guy who gives her a second glance. Now, in order to win Ramona's heart, Scott will do battle with everyone from vegan-powered rock gods to sinister skateboarders, never losing sight of his gorgeous goal as he pummels his way to victory. Shaun of the Dead's Edgar Wright directs the film from a script he penned with Michael Bacall. Superhero veterans Chris Evans and Brandon Routh co-star in the action comedy as two of the seven ex-boyfriends. ~ Jason Buchanan, Rovi
Director: Edgar Wright
Cast: Michael Cera, Mary Elizabeth Winstead, Kieran Culkin, Chris Evans, Brandon Routh.
Release Date: Aug 13, 2010
Rated: stylized violence, sexual content, language and drug references
Runtime: 1 hr. 53 min.
Genres: Action/Adventure
Review:
If you’ve ever wondered what a Baz Luhrmann dream would look like if it had 16-bit sensibility, I know I have on various occasions, then Edgar Wright’s Scott Pilgrim vs. The World is right up your alley. Like Luhrmann’s Moulin Rouge, Wright has a basic and fairly straightforward story as his base but the visuals elevate it to an inspired bit of kinetic epilepsy inducing filmmaking that’s easy to love. Wright uses anime and old school video tropes in telling this story and it’s a visual marvel to behold, something that’s insane but perfectly logical within the story. Acting, like the story is 2nd fiddle here and with a few standouts, Kieran Culkin leaves the most tangible impression, the cast is mostly just going with the flow of the film’s lunacy. Wright has really flexed his directorial muscle here and created visual candy which is s tad overlong and probably not terribly accessible to the general public.
B+
