Have you heard about the one with the visionary director, the new classic graphic novel and the geeky references? Scott Pilgrim vs. The World is like a socially intelligent relatively attractive geek with Zelda tourettes and ADHD. It is ‘totes’ awesome.
Before we get into this properly I have read the Graphic Novels but I subscribe to the different media is different rules. So won’t be comparing them, that, my friends would ridiculous. Saying that however, SPvTW is the closest thing to a living comic since the long forgotten ZZZAP on CITV in the 90s/00s. With the shwooshing, crashing ratio shifts and split screens this is as brilliant and original a kinetic aesthetic as Moulin Rouge. It is so compelling that after leaving the cinema I was annoyed that when I jumped things didn’t go slow motion or whoooooooosh BANG, so I obv. made the noises myself.
The story is that Scott falls for a strange girl and must defeat her seven evil exes. The story is well paced but I wanted certain elements of the romance to feel a little bit more powerful, it would make the end battle mean more but over all it’s cleverly and amusingly told. However, there was a lot in the film and I almost wanted a Deathly Hallows style two parter, there are storylines I really wanted expanding.
The characters are well drawn I had decided on a Scott in my head whilst reading the books but Cera does a wonderful job of Scott even if he is a little out played by Mr. Culkin with an understated but wonderful portrayal of Scott’s gay bedmate Wallace. The villains are villainous and perfectly comic book and sit brilliantly in the film
This film looks and sounds incredible, tiny single frame adjustments have been made and it is obvious that Edgar Wright really, really cared about sticking with a strong tone for the movie. He departs from the zoom, clink, zoom, crash, zoom, clunk we had in Shaun of the Dead and Hot Fuzz but there is an obvious Wright fingerprint on every frame, he understands and often panders to the geeks, adding little nudges and winks so that people in the know feel special. I doubt with even a second viewing I’ll catch them all.
The battles that Scott has to undertake are awesome Wright can really shoot a fight and everything (even if there is no blood or broken bones) has weight and heft a true skill in this CGI world.
Truth be told I just wanted more, I wish I loved this film as much as I want to. Perhaps I need a second viewing but right now it’s just shy of a five star film
Rating: 
