I didn't have very high expectations for a movie entitled Scott Pilgrim Vs. the World. Honestly, I knew that it was based on a comic book. I knew it looked exactly like an old video game. I also knew that I'm not a huge Michael Cera fan. I was not prepared for the wit and humor of this film.
I actually liked this film, not so much because of the story or the acting, but because it is so drastically different from any other film I've ever seen. It is, literally, nearly two hours of watching a moving comic book. It even feels like we are going between individual panels sometimes. Words appear out of nowhere. Health meters pop up at the most drastic times. Cool-looking graphics help us make some sense of the craziness. Bad guys turn into piles of coins when they are defeated. Everyone seems to know some form of super-cool ninja fighting. It's actually extremely entertaining, while at the same time forming one of the most confusing, random, and (frankly) shallow movies of the year.
There is a good amount of truly clever things in this film. Honestly, who hasn't dreamed of an epic rock battle against a pair of Asian DJ's who can rip up some of the sickest beats in the world and create an intimidating projection of...umm...well, okay, maybe nobody has, but that's the kind of thing that happens in this film. Supervillain bad guys just explode through walls and disrupt underground concerts. Superpowers are attributed to random things. Physics have no place here. It's completely and totally fanciful and imaginative. This is one of the most creative films I've seen in a while.
There are some great morals: Self-respect, fighting for what you believe in, standing up for someone who needs you, and defending someone against manipulation.
However, it is definitely not without its flaws. It has a great message of standing by commitments, but only when it's most comfortable to the ones involved. There's an undercurrent of "true love" and fighting for the damsel, but it's also underscored by lust and physical attraction. Revenge is a minor theme, and reconciliation is not really prevalent. People call each other nasty names. One character is openly and proudly gay, and there is more than one joke built on this fact. There are a few scenes where characters lead up to sex, but there's no actual act.
NEGATIVES:
>> Profanity: There are an awful lot of curse words, including nasty names and a scene involving crazily-bleeped-out f-words. (It's obvious the character is using f-words, but we don't actually hear them.) Quite a few words are used, adding up to about 40 profanities total.
>> Violence: is everywhere. Most of it is cartoony and bloodless. The majority of it is used in video-game fashion. However, there are some uncomfortable hits delivered to girls--it's unnerving to see cutesy teenage girls getting punched in the face by guys so hard that the girls' hair color is knocked out of her. (Literally.) There's crashing, destruction, falling, punching, kicking, shoving, exploding, and skateboard-grinding a handrail for over a mile and at over 158 kph.
>> Spiritual content: There really isn't much mention of God, apart from the occasional abuse of His name. Alot of the superpowers are not explained, nor does the story try to elaborate on it. (One person has his powers attributed to his 'veganism'.)
>> Alcohol and Drugs: Many of the characters drink on a normal basis as if it's going out of style. A couple of characters get smashed drunk. One or two jokes are made about drugs. (Example: Scott and Ramona are talking, and he makes the comment that being with her is like drugs--"Not that I do drugs, unless you do, and then I'm totally fine with it.")
>> Sex: makes an appearance once or twice. It's talked about, joked about, and tried for. The limits get pushed a couple of times. Lesbians and homosexual men are discussed. Ramona has done just about everything, including a "bi-phase" where she was "curious." Scott's roommate is gay and brings his dates home, but Scott still sleeps in the same bed, making for one or two "yuck" moments. Some women wear very skimpy outfits.
Overall, this film is original and witty. It's shallow and stupid. It's funny and has good messages. It's unique and has bad messages. Honestly, I am a mixed bag about it. Entertainment value of this movie is pretty darn high. It's pretty cool, and it's fun to watch. However, I don't recommend it for children, and I think parents should be very careful about allowing their teenagers to see it. I'm not sure it's worth it for such a small moral out of a thin story filled with flawed characters.
2 1/2 out of 6 stars
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