Scott Pilgrim vs. The World 4
If the film Scott Pilgrim vs. The World were take on the entire crop of summer movies, not only would it annihilate them in a perfect K-O, it would finish each of them off with some sort of crazy Fatality (with the exception of Inception of course).
I’m not sure how well it’ll do box-office-wise though, since audiences have a tendency to overlook original awesomes in favor of formulaic predictables. Scott Pilgrim might not win the award for most ticket sales but it most definitely takes the prize for most creative and most likely to be owned on DVD by me, and the last time I bought a DVD was never.
The plot is simple enough: in order to win the girl of his dreams, Scott Pilgrim must defeat her seven evil exes. The fun is not in predicting whether or not he succeeds on his mission, but how he goes about doing so, considering he’s up against some powerful opponents, and he’s armed with nothing more than Michael Cera’s body. The result is a stylish blend of comic culture and video game worship with enough pizazz to dazzle even the most standard spectator. Mind you, it helps if you’ve ever played Street Fighter or Mortal Kombat and can appreciate the aesthetic nuances of comic book contexts.
But don’t worry if you’re not into any of that stuff, because the film prevails on so many levels there’s no shortage of mass appeal, if fun and laughter is what you’re after. It’s loaded with zany characters and an all-around perfect cast, with each member bringing their own unique strengths like players in a video game.
Of course, my favorite cast member is none other than Michael Cera, who is quick on the draw with every line and never misses a comedic beat. The titular role was tailor-made for his personality prototype and he portrays Pilgrim in a way no other actor ever could. I mean, who better to play the character that Michael Cera always plays, than Michael Cera, right? Whether his name is Scott Pilgrim, Paulie Bleeker, or Nick Twisp, it all comes down to the same guy every time: dorky, funny, awkward, lovable and the second man of my dreams. That’s right, I like my men on the scrawny side, as opposed to those overly-macho types who always seem to be over-compensating for some inner insecurities. Michael Cera owns his oddness and knows how to work it to his advantage, continually distinguishing himself from the bland band of leading lads.
Admittedly, had anyone else been cast as Scott Pilgrim I probably wouldn’t be all up in this movie like Stouffer’s in a turkey, no. And while the movie deserves association with all the best adjectives there were certainly moments when mine eyes were getting restless (“oh dear, another evil-ex encounter?”). But it’s times like those where Michael’s humor restores my energy and prepares me for the next round of action, which is somewhat unpredictable, seemingly unending, and fun ’til the last frame. Would I press ‘continue’ at the end of it all? Quicker than you could say “SUPER AWESOME DEADLY COMBO!”.
