Scott Pilgrim vs The World is a film that I daresay would appear absolutely baffling to anyone above the age of 35. It is so fast and so furious, with text flashing up and disappearing in the blink of an eye, and jump cuts from fight scenes in nightclubs to messy bedsits, that it could be a struggle to follow for someone not brought up on a diet of computer games and the internet being an integral part of life.
Scott Pilgrim, played by geek du jour Michael Cera, is a bass guitarist in garage band Sex Bob-Omb who falls for new girl in town Ramona Flowers (Mary Elizabeth Winstead). In order to win her heart, he must battle and defeat her seven evil exes.
The movie is based on the graphic novels by Bryan Lee O’Malley and uses Batman-style ‘kerpaws’ and ‘thumps’ as the action takes place. Even phones go ‘rrrring’.
Scott’s life becomes a computer game as he battles the exes one-by-one, taking them on with special powers and bonus tricks. It is terrific fun to watch as the exes appear and Scott fights them, while his friends and Ramona think nothing of him being thrown through walls, over buildings or engaging in aerial attack manoeuvres last seen in Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon.
He may be facing certain death, but Scott is still caught in the middle of two girls, and the bassist in a band that are hoping to go places, at least in Toronto.
Wells director Edgar Wright (Hot Fuzz, Shaun of the Dead) said that he could not have cast anybody else as Scott Pilgrim other than Cera, and he plays the role perfectly, not as an awesome handsome hero, but as someone who believes himself to be awesome.
There is little time to catch your breath in Scott Pilgrim vs The World. Graphics and extra lives appear from nowhere, and surely nobody will be able to get all of the pop culture references. But for those of a certain age, this will be so much fun to watch. Just leave your parents at home.
Innovative, fresh and very funny, Scott Pilgrim vs The World is like totally one of the best films of the year.
Scott Pilgrim vs The World is currently showing at the Orpheus, Cinema de Lux, Showcase, Cineoworld, Vue Cribbs and Vue Longwell Green.
