Excellent soundtrack? Check. Great attention to detail? Check. Excellent visual effects? Check. Plethora of funny moments and witty dialogue? Check. Zelda reference? Check, and check. Scott Pilgrim easily ranks as the greatest video game film of all-time. In a cinematic world full of video game movies that fail to capture the detail, pacing, and magic of gaming, we have Scott Pilgrim showing how its done. Superbly directed by Edgar Wright and followed by a great cast of actors and actresses, this film is perfect for the gaming culture, and the deeper you are embedded in the cult world of video games, the more you will enjoy this flick. Word of warning, if you aren’t that much into the sub-culture of video games and all its glory, you may not see this film as epic as it truly is.
Scott Pilgrim vs. the World is about a slacker bassist of an underground band (Michael Cera) bouncing around depression and attempted recovery after a tough break-up. While messing around with a high school girl (Ellen Wong), Scott discovers the woman of his dreams, the beautiful, mysterious, and hip Ramona (Mary Elizabeth Winstead). But she comes with baggage: a slew of evil exes that Scott must defeat. Based off of the successful underground comics of Bryan Lee O’Malley, Scott Pilgrim vs. the World is unlike anything you’ve ever read; and with the thanks of Edgar Wright (Shaun of the Dead, Hot Fuzz), unlike anything you’ve ever seen. It is tough condensing multiple volumes of a detail-frantic comic book into a movie, but Wright and Michael Bacall did a great job translating the energy, speed, and silliness of the comics into film.
Michael Cera gets a bad reputation for being a one-trick pony, someone who does the same type of performance. This is both incorrect, and not really his fault. His scrawny, thin, deadpan look can only get him certain types of roles in Hollywood (he reminds me of the slew of Italian actors that are seen in nearly every mobster/mafia flick of the 90s and 2000s---good actors, but typecast because of the way they look). But if you look at Youth in Revolt and Nick and Norah, you’ll see a different side of Cera. In this case, we see a more desperate, less charming, not-as-likable but more ass-kicking Cera taking the spotlight. Then let’s not forget the great scene-stealing performances of Ellen Wong, Chris Evans, Aubrey Plaza, and especially Kieran Culkin.
Visually, this movie reflects a video game better than any video game movie ever crafted. The 1960s Batman-like sound effect visuals are all over the place, the fights are exaggeratingly fast and epic, the hilarious subtle details are all over the place, the screen splits into multiple frames constantly, and even the slower sequences flow like cut-scenes of a game. Edgar Wright is perfect for the directing because of his kinetic-style of editing and direction (ex: Hot Fuzz). Perfect for those with ADD, the flick moves from one scene to the next with such quick pacing, entire days can pass through your eyes without you noticing. The battles themselves are so fast, only those with trained eyes (in the art of fast-paced gaming that is) can follow the insanity without giving up.
Now, with the movie being made specifically for those that dwell their lives into the culture, it might be an intimidation for those that don’t appreciate the art of video games and the slackerish laid-back society it creates. If you don’t know much about video games and all they have given us over the years, you’ll see this as loud, crass, immature, and pointless. But, for those that have experienced 8-bit Mario and Zelda, enjoyed their Street Fighter II (and allllll their spin-offs), fumbled through Battletoads and Streets of Rage, and know the satisfaction of leveling-up to the ultimate level, you’ll get a kick out of this, guaranteed. Just like Fight Club and its counter-culture anarchist ways, and Seinfeld and its New York City post-modern ideals, the more Scott Pilgrim represents you, the more you’ll understand and love it.
Of course, with the fast-paced style of the movie and the calmer character-developing moments of the comic book, there is bound to hit a contradictory snag. Scott Pilgrim works best when it’s fast-paced and with multiple witty jokes waiting right around the corner. So, whenever the movie has a small slowdown to give the characters time to grow and reflect, it really, really feels slow. And while it doesn’t destroy the movie, it does slow down the third act, even with an epic final battle and light-hearted ending. After two strong acts, the third act had a tough time catching up. Wright’s best is usually saved for last, with Hot Fuzz’s final shootout being an excellent example. Luckily though, it isn’t too much of a distraction thanks to the wonderful cast and the strong visuals that remain fun to watch throughout the rather-long running-time (for a video game movie that is).
Bottom Line: Scott Pilgrim vs. the World is a perfect movie for gamers, and a perfect movie for those that appreciate the culture, diversity, insanity, and randomness of video games. The cast was great, the editing was flawless, and the directing was grand. While the third act left me desiring more and failed to live up to the strong first two acts, it remains a movie I strongly recommend if you own any type of old-school gaming system. Just like the comic book, Scott Pilgrim is epic, hilarious, fun to watch, and an absolute delight. Yet as previously stated, if you are not trained in the world of gaming, then this flick will unnerve and perhaps even scare you. Visually stimulating, insane, and out on control, Scott Pilgrim represents gaming on the big-screen like nothing I’ve ever seen before.
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