Directed by Edgar Wright.
Edgar Wright is one of Britain’s best loved contemporary film-makers, and Scott Pilgrim vs. the World is Wright’s first foray into American blockbuster territory. Wright is best known for the cult TV show Spaced, starring Simon Pegg and Nick Frost. Wright, Pegg and Frost later found success both on home turf and overseas with Shaun of the Dead and Hot Fuzz. Here, Wright is stepping out without his beloved leading actors, and it definitely pays off.
Scott Pilgrim (Michael Cera) is a socially awkward, twenty two year old guy who falls in love with the too-cool-for-school Ramona Flowers (Mary Elizabeth Winstead); when they begin to date, Scott finds he has to fight Ramona’s ‘seven evil exes’ in order to win her over.
Following a long line of comic book adaptations, Scott Pilgrim offers something unique and refreshing to a genre which is steadily declining in quality. The film implements graphics in 8bit style to make the film look and feel like an old video game; Wright seems to know that any use of 8bit graphics (and the crafty Mario reference) pulls on the heartstrings of most cult fans under the age of thirty five. Using this style in the wonderfully choreographed fight scenes makes these scenes feel like you’re playing a video game.
The film is also genuinely entertaining, which is rare in contemporary comedies. Scott Pilgrim emphasises the comedic elements in the day to day without rehashing old jokes that movie fans have seen time and time again. Taking note of the lacklustre opening weekend box office takings in the US (it still look over $10 million, mind) may signal that Wright’s comedy style is best suited to the British.
So okay, Cera is playing the same role he plays in every film, and yes – the graphics may be distracting, but it really does not matter in the big picture of Scott Pilgrim. Taking nods at comic book art styles and paying homage to vintage video games wins over the film’s main audience – cult loving, Nintendo raised comic book nerds.
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