Scott Pilgrim vs The World is one of those movies that I dread reviewing as it was a movie that I knew had a good chance of winning me over, yet at the same time would most likely turn off most viewers. I hadn’t been a fan of the comic, but as a die hard supporter of Edgar Wright I was simply excited to see his next film, and that it was one he didn’t write was something I found incredibly intriguing. Then as I found out more and more about the comic and the film I soon became absolutely hooked.
Scott Pilgrim is a film that has invented its own universe, a universe that exists within a video game where people find random warp zones, power up as they gain experience and in general kick ass for little to no discernable reason. And if you weren’t sure what you were in for, the 8-bit Universal logo intro is sure to give you a serious hint at what is to come.
If you don’t live and breath comics and video games it may be hard to understand just what the heck is going on in this visual barrage of a film, the quick cuts, CGI sound effects and quickly paced dialogue is bound to confuse and annoy many, but once you figure out the films rhythm you start to discover something more.
A film working on multiple levels, and in particular working its ass off to change the complexion of how one takes in a film, and it is succeeding again and again. Its taken the training wheels off of Kung Fu Hustle and propelled a visual masterpiece at your optic nerve, all while pummeling your auditory senses with music and sound galore. Its all such glorious noise, noise noise. Scott Pilgrim vs the World isn’t so much a game changer, but rather cinemas first killer app.
Scott Pilgrim vs the World, the coolest thing in the history of stuff, opens in not enough theatres on Friday.
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Nice. Seeing this tonite.
You’re going to enjoy the hell out of it. Its basically a low brow art film.
By far, the movie is better than the graphic novels. The editing is unreal.
This, along with Oldbooy and Battle Royal, are the type of comic book movies I want see be made. Embrace the experimental melodrama. I had enough with generic super hero films.
I agree and I’d go a step further and say I want to see more video game movies learn from this. Embrace the universe the game exists in and try and flesh it out on the screen rather than continually try and change them to try and fit the most boring of conventions.
Yep. Loved the film. (Not a 5/5, but dang I want to see it again….that’s a solid litmus test if there ever was one. This film is only going to get better with age and people settle down with the multitude of details.)
Interesting comparison to Oldboy and Battle Royale, two films that uncompromisingly paint their own universes.