Film of the Month: Scott Pilgrim Vs The World
Although this isn't a collaboration with Simon Pegg, it's the closest Edgar Wright has come to re-capturing the style and spirit of their late nineties sit-com 'Spaced'. 'Scott Pilgrim' is far more inspired than either 'Shaun of the Dead' or 'Hot Fuzz'. It's also a much broader concept made on a significantly higher budget.
Yes, it's style over substance. But what style! It may seem a strange point of comparison, but Wright's quirky rom-com reminded me of Oliver Stone's 'Natural Born Killers'. Both films are visual assaults on the senses, combining live action with dream-like graphics. And, interestingly, Wright "borrows" one of Stone's ideas: a key scene is shot like a cheesy TV sit-com, complete with canned laughter. As with 'NBK', the stylisation is everything. Hate the arcade game visuals; hate the movie.
Fortunately, I loved the creativity at work here. I admire a director who tries to break new ground and shows flair and originality. That's not to say all of Wright's visual conceits work. But when they do, they REALLY work.
The film could benefit from being 20 minutes shorter - and I'm starting to tire of Michael Cera. Just as Christian Bale is stuck in "intense" gear, Cera seems incapable of switching from "loveable geek" mode. However, the supporting cast compensate in spades, with delightful performances from Kieran Culkin and Ellen Wong. Chris Evans and Brandon Routh are also on good form, but could have done with a tad more screen time.
