director: Edgar Wright
writers: Edgar Wright, Michael Bacall (based on the graphic novel) by Brian Lee O'Malley
starring: Micheal Cera, Mary Elizabeth Winstead, Kieran Culkin, Anna Kendrick, Ellen Wong
genre: Action, Comedy, Comics
Scott Pilgrim didn't only have to face the world but also film audiences that didn't manage to fill in the cinemas. The 60 million dollar budget film has done only a mere 31 million in the U.S. alone. And from the look of it wont be doing any better internationally. It's a very peculiar film that will take getting used while your watching it within the very first minutes. But for a experienced gamer and comic book fan this film is a walk in the park.
Scott Pilgrim (Michael Cera) is a Canadian geek living in Toronto with no life. The only thing going for him is his small band with his friends called Sex-Bob-Omb. Still traumatized by his last break up with Envy he starts a less demanding relationship by dating a 17-year old called Knives Chau (Ellen Wong). But his life will change when he meets the American girl called Ramona Flowers (Mary Elizabeth Winstead). After many people advising him to avoid trying to be with Ramona he finally manages to get a date with her. What Pilgrim didn't know before completely going mad about about Ramona is the baggage that she carries with her. The League of Evil Ex-Boyfriends 7 to be more specific. Scott will then have to battle each one separately to win and earn Ramona's love.
From start to finish Scott Pilgrim is filled to the rim with geek elements. Either they be from video game references like the theme from Zelda and coins falling out of enemies or from TV and the music of Seinfeld. The film is constantly throwing at you video game and pop culture right at your face. The film is adapted by the comic book series of the same name. I have not read that much of the books but know that the film and comic are very similar and that it's faithful adaption. But nonetheless the way the film progress feels more like a fighting video game than a comic book. Scott Pilgrim way of dealing with each evil ex boyfriend should be emulated in other fighting franchises when they will handle their own film franchises.
All the evil ex battles are beautifully choreographed and all uniquely different that the other. And every effects sequence is mind blowingly cool as the last. Every fight also represents a different style of fighting from video games either it battle of wits than brawns or combos versus knockouts. I have to also mention how that there is no explanation why there are people with super powers or why Ramona attracts these crazy men. And the truth is there isn't really a need for there to be a explanation. The film can be taken metaphorically as with every fight and breakup in our life we make it grander than life or literally that there are people with powers. But the point of the film was style, emotion and love and not reasons behind the powers. It's a teenagers or young adult's dream of living a fantasy and not making up the logistics of that fantasy.
By the end of the film you might have seen the best video game film ever created. And that's the funny thing, do to the fact that this is not a video game adaption even though it feels like one even more so than a comic book. Same way as The Incredibles (2004) felt as if it was one of the best comic book films ever made even though it wasn't. Scott Pilgrim is a hard film to sell and has already shown to have a tough time in finding a broad audience. But for whoever isn't a apart of the mass and is in the target demographic of gamers and comic book readers than you will feel right at home with one of the coolest films of the year.
Personal Rating:
Review by Paul
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