I tend not to see movies more than once, just as I tend not to read books I’ve enjoyed more than once, but Scott Pilgrim vs. the World is definitely the exception. I know this film has been out for a few weeks, and may be leaving many theaters already, but I wanted to share my thoughts on this great piece of work. I have been a fan of anime, manga, video games, and Michael Cera for a good long time, so when you bring them all together as director Edgar Wright has done, you bet your sweet ass I am going to be there.
Honestly Scott Pilgrim vs. the World does start out a bit slow, the cuts seem somewhat awkward, and everything is pretty abstract feeling up until the initial confrontation with the first evil ex-boyfriend. Michael Cera plays once again within his range, aloof and indifferent, but there is a bit of cockiness and frustration thrown in that does set him apart this time around from his other films. Kieran Culkin is by far the best actor of the group, and I am confident he is going to glean some additional roles in the future simply based on his performance in this film. Playing Scott’s roommate, he does tend to drive the majority of humor in the film.
Ramona, played by Mary Elizabeth Winstead, is probably the least interesting character in the film, and I almost feel that she could have been played by almost any actor to the same effect. Being such a strong influence on the plot, it’s surprising that she just ends up as a trophy, a carrot on a stick for the protagonist to chase. Other casting choices, such as Scott’s now famous ex-girlfriend Envy, and Ramona’s former lesbian lover Roxy, are so similar as to be a bit confusing to the viewer. I am a huge Jason Schwartzman fan and he gives an unfortunately brief but great performance as the leader of the League of Evil Exes. I was so inspired by his style in this film that I immediately went out and bought myself some glasses to match those he sports here.
Everything from the Richenbacher bass that Scott plays throughout the film, to the Zelda T-shirts and super combo finishes being thrown about during the duration, speak to game and anime fans in a way that no other film this decade has. It is obvious that Edgar Wright is a genuine fan of the media being presented and I wish other directors were so obviously passionate about their work. While some of the evil ex-boyfriends are more interesting than others, all of the fight scenes in the film are an absolute blast and I honestly have never seen anything like this before.
My favorite scene, and one that I believe really conveys the manga-like aspects of the film, is the socially tense encounter between Scott and Todd, the vegan telepath master. Tensions break and Scott lunges for Todd in a rage, but the scene freezes, Scott is lifted to his feet with a slight gesture from Todd, the world goes black, and we get a 2D shot that just screams Otaku. Things like this are throughout the film, and I urge everyone to experience Scott Pilgrim vs. the World at least once because there is no other live action film that comes close to this type of style.
The soundtrack is great with the film itself revolving around Scott’s band, the Sex Bob-Ombs, who are not only an obvious Mario reference but actually perform many of the songs on the official soundtrack. Most of the tracks feature indy-punk stylings that fit very well with the mood of the film. Other bands featured here are Crash and the Boys, Metric, and Beck, all of which I enjoy immensely, so don’t hesitate to pick up the soundtrack either.