Gaming references: check
Love references: check
Hot chicks: check
Rock music: check
TV references: check
Random pop culture references: check
Dorky actor who plays dorky characters: check
The graphic novel Scott Pilgrim has been brought to life by Hot Fuzz director Edgar Wright, who throws Arrested Development’s Michael Cera into Pilgrim’s shoes. Scott Pilgrim plays in an unsigned garage rock band “Sex Bob-Omb”, trying to make it big. He’s dating a Chinese Catholic schoolgirl, Knives Chau, played by Ellen Wong, who is 5 years his junior, who ends up being a non-sexual groupie. His family and friends claim he’s only dating her to get over being dumped by his ex-girlfriend Envy, who is now a major rock star. Pilgrim lives across the road in what appears to be a studio apartment from his parents’ place, living with a gay friend, who ends up nearly seducing and sleeping with every guy he meets.
In a dream, Pilgrim meets Ramona Flowers, played by Mary Elizabeth Winstead, the girl of his .. dreams. When he attends a party, he discovers Flowers is real and after a series of failed attempts in getting to know her, he finds out her day job as an Amazon deliverer, and orders something to meet her. They eventually start dating each other, however, he’s still dating Chau. When Sex Bob-Omb end up playing at a gig where record executive G-Man may appear, Flowers and Chau attend. Just as they’re about to figure out what relevance they have, Flowers’s first ex-boyfriend appears and challenges Pilgrim to a fight to the death. After the fight is completed, Pilgrim ends up finding out he is in for more than he bargained for.
With pop culture references galore, such as the 8-bit Universal titles opener and music, as well as comic book sound effect typography, game console style fight sequences, current slang (whatevs…), and the odd TV show references (the Seinfeld scene is priceless), and Looney Tunes style “pop-up” jokes, Scott Pilgrim vs The World has to be one of the most funniest and most entertaining comedies around. It will lose its way with the older baby boomer audience, but scores ticks with the Gen X and Gen Y era. Fully entertaining, and at nearly a perfect 2 hours, a near masterpiece. It will get your geek on and make you remember the old days of video gaming… especially Scott Pilgrim’s fascinating obsession with the origin of Pac-Man.
[xrr rating=5/5]
