The Scott Pilgrim universe is a world created and propagated by shallow, self-centered characters. This is not a dig at Bryan Lee O’Malley’s creation, the six volume graphic novel series upon which the recent film is based, but instead an explanation. At twenty-something you can’t HELP but be a little self-centered, and main character/hero Scott Pilgrim is the quintessential twenty-something. Concerned more with video games than meaningful relationships, he’s a superhero only in his own mind. Except, of course, when he’s whooping Evil Ex Boyfriend ass Street Fighter-style in an effort to win the heart of his girlfriend Ramona Flowers (“It’s like Ramona Quimby, Age 8, except…flowers.”). This backbone of video game and music references propel the typical story of fresh-out-of-college semi-adults in love to another level. By the end of the series we’ve seen the full arc of a relationship through the filter of a seven level video game, and the bonus stage is just as sweet as you’d think it’d be.
I have to admit at the outset of this review (if the above paragraph didn’t make this readily obvious) that I am a Scottaholic. I knew going into this film that it’d be one of my favorites of the year. I’ve read and re-read the comic books many times since I discovered them three years ago and was excited to see a story that had resonated with me brought to life by one of my favorite directors, Edgar Wright.
Scott Pilgrim Vs. The World did not disappoint. Michael Cera takes on a not entirely challenging but certainly slightly different role as Scott Pilgrim, the titular video game obsessed hero, and the supporting cast (led by Mary Elizabeth Winstead and Kieran Culkin and backed up by unknowns and familiar faces alike) kept the film’s humor afloat almost all throughout the near two hour running time. The film’s structure felt like that of a catchy tune, the Evil Ex Boyfriend fights being the chorus and hooks of the picture, a familiar place to return to as the film progressed and the parts that seem to dig into me the most as I left the theater.
The effects were spot on with an 80s video game vibe that brought an edge of surreality to what could have been a rather cookie cutter romcom, and the writing and editing worked hand in hand to create visual, audio, and oratory gags that worked in unison and rarely failed (a favorite moment was the “Seinfeld scene”, in which laugh track, Seinfeld-esque sound cues and a three camera sitcom esque mise en scène add to the humor of Scott describing his night with Ramona [Mary Elizabeth Winstead] to gay roommate Wallace Wells [Kieran Culkin]).
But of course, this is at heart an action movie in a sense, and the fight choreography is spot on as well. Here we have actors that probably will never have to be trained to fight in a film again battling each other in a way that rarely calls attention to this fact. Cera holds his own against Chris Evans (as action star and second Evil Ex Lucas Lee) and the sword fight between him and Final Evil Ex Gideon Graves (played brilliantly by Jason Schwartzman) is one of the more compelling fight scenes in the film.
All in all, this is more or less the perfect summer film, a seemingly unassuming sugar high of special effects and humor that slowly reveals its bittersweet center and ends in a way that would even give Chris Nolan pause. We find at the end that while we’ve witnessed the birth and death of an ultimately superficial relationship, we see the beginning of (hopefully) a stronger and more meaningful relationship, and as Scott learns to get over himself and accept responsibility for his actions we see that he’s getting a second chance with Ramona and (hopefully) will do a better job of handling it than he has with his other relationships. End scene.
However, it seems that filmgoers and critics alike just AREN’T seeing what fans of this film are seeing, passing it up to see The Expendables and Eat Pray Love and (from the critical level) calling it shallow and self-centered.
And that’s fine. This isn’t a movie for everyone. But trust me, even if you don’t get the video game references or never read a comic book before or don’t like Michael Cera, at least TRY and give this film a chance. I mean, you’ve read this far into a review for it, so you’re somewhat interested.
And fans, don’t be discouraged. The fact that this film was made at all is a testament that there is SOME justice in the world. And I have a feeling that it will develop a word-of-mouth cult when it comes out on DVD, more so than The Expendables and Eat Pray Love ever will.
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Scott Pilgrim movie poster image courtesy of artist Martin Ansin. All rights to image held by him.
I would just like to iterate that I didn’t give jack squat about the story. I still enjoyed the piss out of the movie though. Very strong characterization all throughout. And the over-the-top action and video game references.