Review: Scott Pilgrim vs The World

     British born director of Shaun of the Dead (2004) and Hot Fuzz (2007) Edgar Wright makes another impact in cinema history with his latest movie Scott Pilgrim vs The World. Based on Scott Pilgrim by Bryan Lee O'Malley, the story revolves around a 22-year-old Scott Pilgrim as he grieves over his ex-girlfriend, and pretends to enjoy his time with his new girlfriend, a 17-year-old Knives Chao, a young girl obsessed with everything Scott Pilgrim.
     Scott is in a band, which is currently trying to make a name for itself. Knives is their most loyal (and probably only) fan, as they head into a Battle of the Bands. Scott's life with Knives seems to be going well, until (as a dream foretells) he runs into the girl of his dreams: Ramona Flowers. He stalks her a bit before he can convince her to go on a date with him. Soon after, he decides to break up with Knives.
     Unfortunately, dating Ramona comes with a few... seven to be exact... minor problems. He must "defeat" Ramona's seven deadly exes. This is where this movie really stands alone. For the duration of the movie so far, there have been a few instances of "extra" reality: drawings and video-game-like pop-ups on the screen add something... extra to the action. But the moment the first ex shows up, All reality seems to slip away, as Scott flies around, punching and getting punched without actually getting hurt. Essentially, the film turns into a video game with earned points flying out of the other characters, and evil exes, or their minions turning into coins when destroyed.
     Scott fights the evil exes in various ways: by wit, by strength, by music, and by martial arts. It's truly an amazing and unique image, and it's really up to the viewer whether it's a good thing. It can, at times, be distracting, and since it steps so far out of reality, one may sometimes wonder what is actually happening. It's a worthwhile experience for anyone who enjoys comic books, video games, or just something new and fresh in a film.

     With 5 movies under his belt since Juno, Michael Cera, seemingly type-cast in roles of heartbroken nerds, makes a slight leap from his usual character. Although this new character is as charming and witty as the others, it does step out of the norm with the flashy and quirky action hero qualities he exudes by the end of the film. Anna Kendrick (Up In The Air, 2009) plays a minor role as Scott's sister and adds a fun twist to the nerd lifestyle with the older but caring sibling. Other roles as the exes include Brandon Routh, Chris Evans, and Jason Schwartzman. While I wasn't particularly fond of most of their acting, it worked in the whole scheme of the movie.
     The visuals were striking, the score was brilliantly composed, and the sound design for the movie was quite perfect. The video game aspect of the movie is pulled off at every turn of the road. Surprisingly, the film turns out to be a fun one, enjoyable as well as exciting and intriguing.
The movie comes out this Friday, August 13, 2010.