Scott Pilgrim vs. The World (2010)Directed by: Edgar Wright
Starring: Michael Cera, Mary Elizabeth Winstead, Kieran Culkin, Chris Evans, Brandon Routh, Jason Schwartzman
4.5 stars out of 5
Based on the graphic novels of the same name, Scott Pilgrim vs. The World may be the most efficient - and fun - transfer of comic book sensibilities into a movie (full disclosure: I have not read the graphic novel). Scenes are fast paced, quickly edited, transition into different settings seamlessly, and occasionally feature text boxes with tidbits. There are times when there is so much visual information, it's easy to miss something. Repeated viewing and pausing is almost a prerequisite.
Your enjoyment of this film may be directly proportional to your feelings towards Mr. Cera. If you are among those who are tired of the prototypical Michael-Cera-role (Nick and Norah's Infinite Playlist, Superbad, Arrested Development, etc.), your prejudices may color how you feel about Scott Pilgrim since essentially, he plays the same character as those aforementioned roles. However, Cera's fight scenes are a welcome change-of-pace from his days catching objects with his shoulder as George Michael Bluth.
Beyond visuals, Scott Pilgrim is a funny film with a great supporting cast. Kieran Culkin provides a fair share of laughs as Cera's roommate and it's fun seeing some of Hollywood's A-listers portraying evil exes. In addition, Anna Kendrick is wonderful in her limited screen time as Cera's sister. And Allison Pill delivers some of the most hilariously deadpan lines.
Another key ingredient to the film is the music. Scott Pilgrim (the character) is the bassist in a band and their songs are quite catchy. Cera is an actual bassist in an actual rock band these days (see: Mister Heavenly) so it's not a stretch to see him slapping the bass during the film.
Scott Pilgrim vs. The World is a fun film with a few laughs, amazing visuals, and a style all its own. It was criminally ignored while it was in theaters (I don't recall seeing too many advertisements either so it may have been ignored by its own marketers) but is a strong recommendation for anyone with a Netflix account or $14 to spend at Amazon.
