Like one fellow Flixster reviewer said, "Bloody hell, Ritalin anyone?" That basically sums up what "Scott Pilgrim vs. The World" is. Neon-hued numbers flashing up indicating points awarded, the words "THONK, BAM, BANG" popping up like a comic book, and "Anime"-like intense close-ups to the fighter's eyes is the name of
the game here. You're gonna need to suspend all disbelief cause "Scott Pilgrim vs. The World" isn't afraid to let it all loose, and it does so with wondrous results. This is a flashy, fun, fast-paced, and quirky movie chock full of references to gaming. You ain't a gaming fan? You're not gonna enjoy this. Not digging the full immersion of a laid back nerd fest that's about flash, not class? Then you're not down for this movie. In an ironic way, I'm not one to embrace eccentrically bizarre movies like this one, but in a way, it worked. The plot takes a backseat, but in return, we get a thoroughly thought out and original style unlike any other movie out there. "Scott Pilgrim vs. The World". C'mon, just look at the title; its reminiscent to a plethora of fighter-game titles out there. That's what it basically is: A game fused with real life, morals, lessons, and events with full indicators of status bars, game points, and power-ups; it's ingeniously well-done. All the things we movie lovers have come to become familiar with regarding movies (like how love is denying oneself, getting through the past by dealing with it, and staying true to yourself) are all realized via video game achievements or failures. It's a film that's marinated in style, but truth be told, it isn't as fun as it should be. The pacing really takes a lot of oil to spark up in the beginning, acting could've been better, the script could've been much more dense, and attempts to inject comedy in the mix would, at the most, leave me at a slight chuckle, but nevertheless, "Scott Pilgrim vs. The World" had a style that was too convincing and technically sound to deny. So much to respect here and though it was a great time, it wasn't AS entertaining as it should've been -- just a personal preference. In no way does this make "Scott Pilgrim vs. The World" a bad movie -- in fact, it's great, but my admiration to this title leans more towards its embrace for the unusual and style, not its entertainment value.Ironically, the plot itself suffers, but it shares the same narrative drive as many "Anime"-series' do: it isn't an innovative or endearing plot with intricate character development and virtuous plot turns, but it engages viewers through a testosterone build-up of stronger and stronger villains that the protagonist must face. C'mon, you weren't into Dragonball Z, Naruto, and Bleach for their deep and endearing narratives -- it was the action and characters. The movie is all about how Michael Cera, the title character, must fight through Ramona Flowers' 7 Exes in order to win her heart. And the more and more he treads upon this "dangerous road", the more tougher and evil these exes get. Pretty straight forward plot, but what makes it engaging is how the journey's filled with new power-ups, turns, and special powers that the villains carry. All in all, it's a testosterone pump-up of a movie that a no-namer must defeat unbelievably powerful enemies. Like I said -- it's an "Anime"-narrative-driven plot and it is the only driving quality of this otherwise rite and simplistic storyline. Though this may seem like the loudest movie of 2010, it is innovative and infectiously engaging due to its luminous flair, that proudly shows off its love for the gaming culture. It's not a stupid movie either; gaming and movie fans will see these two mediums' cultural influences intricately intertwined in harmony which will naturally leave one dazzled. There's a lot to recognize here -- it's entertaining, but not as entertaining as it should be.
October 27, 2011
54%
52%
Top Critic
