Studio: Universal Pictures

Directed By: Edgar Wright

Written By: Brian O’Malley

Rated: PG-13

Genre: Action, Romance, Comedy

Running Time: 1 hr. 53 min.

In Theaters: Aug 12

Starring: Michael Cera, Mary Elizabeth Winstead

For anyone short on time, who doesn’t have time to read this entire review, here’s the short version:

Scott Pilgrim vs The World is one of the best films of 2010, and and it deserves your $15 a whole lot more than any other movie out right now, or a fast food chain does. Go see it.

Anyone who wants to know why, continue reading.

Scott Pilgrim vs The World is based upon a series of graphic novels written by possibly the least likely person on the earth, Brian O’Malley, a Chinese Canadian man with an Irish name.

Scott Pilgrim vs The World is the story of Scott Pilgrim, a twenty-something indie rocker who plays in the band “Sex bom-om” (yeah, like in Super Mario) which he openly admits “sucks donkeydicks”.

Scott seems perfectly fine with continuing to live his militantly immature lifestyle, when he falls for a world-weary new girl named Ramona Flowers. Scott then sets about trying to woo Ramona, while trying to advance his band.

This is where things get weird.

For whatever reason (it’s never explained) The city of Toronto where Scott lives, starts to run on vintage video game rules. Everybody seems to have either superpowers, or magical weapons, hell even the incredibly weedy Scott is a fully fledged kung-fu master.

The rest of the films progression seems to be based upon an old-timey video game, with Scott completing some manner of emotional or moral challenge or dilemma, and then moving on to settling his disputes with one of Ramona’s seven evil exes by engaging in a full blown boss fight with them.

These fights are both hilarious and breathtaking, with them including points, powerups, and extra lives, with the loser exploding into a shower of coins. No, really. The visuals during these fights are simply breathtaking, with the cartoony visuals melding perfectly with the gritty and comical violence taking place.

But the thing that makes Scott Pilgrim a truly great film, is that beyond all the comic and video game references, that this is actually a thoughtful and mature study of young adults in the modern era. With Scott’s personal conflicts presented in the form of super heroics and video games, because that’s how someone like Scott would process these sort of things.

Another thing about this movie that I liked, is how it didn’t fall into the trap that so many other romantic comedies fall for, which is that, you’re not asked to like Scott. Instead of Scott being one of those kind, sensitive guys, who don’t understand why girls fall for cocky douchebags instead of him, Scott is actually, well, kind of a dick.

Sure, Scott’s kind and sensitive, but he’s also whiny, selfish, and shallow. And the movie is less about him wooing Ramona, and more about Scott learning to grow up, be an adult, and stop wallowing in his own self pity.

If you’re the kind of person who enjoys nothing more than to laugh, and to see people get beaten to a pulp in the most over the top way possible, then the deeper, emotional side to this movie might sail right over you, but you’ll still have a great time.

If you’re the kind of person who likes to think hard about the deeper meaning to a movie, and enjoys trying to look at things and pick apart their true meaning, you’ll love this movie too, and I think it’ll be difficult for you not to enjoy the Edgar Wright (Shaun of the Dead, Hot Fuzz) directed fight scenes.

But if you’re the kind of person who tends to sit right in the middle there (I like to think I do), you’ll never regret seeing this movie, because it’s tailored to you perfectly.

The main thing to take away from this, is that Scott Pilgrim is hilarious and badass, but it’s also intellegent, and heartwarming. And it’s got more to say about romance and the human condition than the soppy, uppity, privilege-class crap you usually get in the form of romantic comedies.

This movie is awesome, and you really need to go see it, it scored 81% on Rotten Tomatoes, and was quickly outgrossed by “Vampires Suck” which scored less than 6%. If you want to see more movies like this, you need to support them.

-Reviewed by Jack Kelleher