The Rough Cut
Written by Kevin Terpstra
Review of Scott Pilgrim vs. The World
What exactly is the recipe for success? Well, take two parts Arrested Development alumni, one part colorful hair, seven parts evil exes, and mix with an equal amount of punk music, video game themes, and Jason Schwartzman. This is a sure fire way to create a winner and that’s exactly what Edgar Wright (Shaun of the Dead, Hot Fuzz) did with Scott Pilgrim vs. The World.
Based off of a series of graphic novels, the tale of Scott Pilgrim is a classic. Boy meets girl, falls in love, and subsequently defeats her seven evil exes, all infused with super powers. It’s a tale as old as time.
We begin with 23-year-old Scott Pilgrim (Michael Cera), bass player for the punk rock band the Sex Bob-Ombs, based out of Toronto, Canada. Although 23, Scott has a [fake] 17-year-old girlfriend named Knives Chau. Enter Ramona V. Flowers (Mary Elizabeth Winstead). The result is, unavoidably, drama. Scott dumps Knives, courts Ramona, and, well, you know the rest.
In classic Edgar Wright style, the film contains quick cuts, witty dialogue, and interesting cinematography. Taking the action movie genre and treating it how it should be treated (take notes Michael Bay), Scott Pilgrim plays like a music video, video game, and comic book all mashed into one adrenaline fueled feast of amazement.
Now, I haven’t read the graphic novels (there are six), but there is no doubt that some material was cut from the movie. It’s near two hours to begin with; so using every moment from the series would have required Wright to break the film into two parts. Thankfully, he isn’t a money-grubbing Hollywood whore, and truthfully, what was used for the movie was indeed enough to weave such a fantastic tale.
Let’s face it; this summer has sucked out loud in terms of movies. Toy Story 3 saved us in the beginning, then Inception came along (which I’m still having dreams about...I think), and now Scott Pilgrim arrives to finish summer with the powers of love and self respect.
Based on a 5 star scale, I am awarding Scott Pilgrim vs. The World five out of five stars.
Scott Pilgrim vs. The World – 5/5 stars
