GLKnight Spotlight: Scott Pilgrim Vs. The World

    In an average day of their life, a normal guy must deal with many things. His hopes and his dreams. His family and friends. His dream girl and her seven Evil Exes who have placed it upon themselves to control her love life, and destroy any who dare try to intervene on her behalf. No, wait. I think I'm wrong about that. That would be an average day in the life of an AWESOME guy! And Scott Pilgrim is just that guy! Based on the Oni Press comic/graphic novel by Brian Lee O'Malley, SCOTT PILGRIM VS. THE WORLD is a light-hearted, quirky, surprisingly action filled film that states what it's about in the first act, and works with what it has the rest of the film. It's a geek property, so like the people that may connect to it most, it has some... problems with how it does things. But is it a hipster's wet dream? Or is it something that goes for more than the Pabst Blue Ribbon left on the nightstand overnight?

    The film proper focuses on Scott (played by Michael Cera), who at the opening of the film in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, is introduced as dating 17 year old Knives Chau, and the first time he takes her anywhere is to Sex Bob-Omb frontman Stephen Stills' house, for band rehearsal. Scott's going through his regular motions, when one night, he gets a weird dream of a mysterious girl rollerskating past him in a desert. Later, slightly late to a promised meeting with Knives at the local library, he sees the mysterious girl from his dream, who, while at a party, finds out her name is Ramona Flowers (played by Mary Elizabeth Winstead). A new ex-patriot from New York, she came to Toronto to escape from the things plaguing her life back in the states. From there it goes from boy fails to get girl, boy buys thing online so that she could deliver it, boy gets girl, and they sleep together without actually doing the deed. So it only gets worse from there. At the local battle of the bands against Crash and the Boys, A guy bursts in, challenging Scott to a duel. It's at that point he learns her secret: She has Seven Evil Exes that he must defeat in order to be romantically involved with her. The exes include a former skater turned actor, Lucas Lee (played by Chris Evans), a Nightcrawler like lesbian, twin Japanese Electronica artists (that she might have dated at the same time), and Gideon Gordon Graves (played by Jason Schwartzman), the mastermind behind it all.

Got that? Good! I'm NOT repeating it!

    Acting wise, it's very solid. Michael Cera is VERY believable as the lead, Scott Pilgrim. And I was shocked and amazed with the one aspect I thought he could never pull off: ACTION SEQUENCES! In the scenes where he is not replaced by a stunt double, he's so into the moment, that you can't NOT appreciate his effort. Mary Elizabeth Winstead takes more of a "centerpiece for the plot" role, what with the whole story revolving around Ramona and her exes. But for the movie, as the love interest and reason for Scott fighting for her, she carries her well enough. I wish she did more with the role, but as is, it's good enough for me. Supporting cast is... well, diverse.Knives goes from preening love sick fan girl, to kick ass temperamental female friend, and it's done with the proper dose of charm, obsession and kick ass kung fu diva. Kim Pines (Scott's ex, and drummer for Sex Bob-Omb) is both cynical, abusive, and emotionally needy, still looking for at least the slightest kind of attention from Scott, but still despising his guts all the same. Stephen Stills (the Talent) spends most of the film as the fame hungry musician, will to take any chance to hit the big time. And Young Neil (Stephen's roommate and general layabout/roadie) is... there for scenes.

    I have to give it up for the Evil Exes and Scott's Gay roommate Wallace, however.Wallace (played by Kieran Caulkin) is a slimy, manipulative, caring, sensitive, and all together well prepared type of individual that screams "mature kind of cool". He has the courtesy of being the emotional focuser of the film, while at the same time being hypocritical and unduly perverted. And Kieran just makes it work. The Evil Exes are a whole set list full of fun times to be had. A Bollywood inspired, Mystically powered, emo haircut wearing, pirate fashion loving hipster. A former skater turned professional actor. A Telekinetic Super Vegan (yes, you read that right), with a surprising connection to Scott. A Nightcrawler-esque lesbian. Twin Electronica artists (who Ramona might have dated at the exact same time). And Gideon, who put the whole plan into motion. Those descriptions I gave you are all you need to go into it, and at the same time, not give away a single

    Direction wise, it's completely solid. Directed by Edgar Wright, the film's only downfall in that regard is that the pacing of moments in the film are like a Manic Depressive 14 year old on a caffeine bender. It's high moments are spectacular, making you want to get out of your seat and cheer. And at it's lows, you can feel your ass getting sore, and going numb. It's not that there are dull moments. It's that the pacing of the film is too frenetic in what it gives certain other elements of the film. In fact, there are some elements that Wright came up with on the fly, in order to get parts of the film made. That's admirable in anyone's eyes, really.

    Now for the part I think MOST of you have been looking forward to: the music and special effects. Let me sum it up for you.

    HOLY CRAP!!

    The effects in this movie are freaking amazing! The attention to detail has really captured some of what truly makes up the foundation of the comic and movie's source: 8 and 16-bit graphics that perfectly mesh with the concepts and dynamics of the scenes and situations. Manga inspired action emphasis to give it that extra element of depth and involvement. High flying Wire Fu straight from a Hong Kong flick. And let's not forget the art and stylings straight from the Indie scene. And the music isn't any different. Effortlessly switching between Chiptunes and full 3-piece band orchestration, there isn't a stitch of classical orchestra work to be found in this film. And you know what? It actually works in it's favor. This film is what it is, and isn't afraid to blast it in your face.

    Is this film worth seeing? In my opinion, it's far more worth it to see this film, than to see the Expendables, which opened the same weekend. Will the Expendables blow this film out of the water opening weekend? Oh GOD, yes! But does it have the same charm and individuality that SP V TW does? Oh GOD, no! Scott Pilgrim Vs the World has elements that every teen to twenty something has encountered nowadays. You can play in the Jungle all you want, but when you grow up, the Jungle has whole new connotations to it. In the case of Video Games, comics, music, and the element of workable effortless coolness, they're all things we played with when we were kids, and most of us still play with them to this day. It's the matter of whether we are what we see, or we are what we do. Scott Pilgrim is a prime example of the latter. He's an everyman that we identify with, because we dreamed about being in a situation almost like his. We know all of the elements of the story as they happen, because we grew up with them. In truth, his story is ours. And I'm not ashamed to admit that I enjoyed seeing something that I would put myself through, if I were in the same situation.

    Go see this movie. Like any game, it's gonna cost some coin. But then again, you get what you pay for. And like any good game or love interest, this is worth the price.