Growing up in the 90's video games were part of the life for this newest generation that I am apparently a part of. To me those days were you could play Nintendo were a chance to let your dreams play out whether it be through rescuing a princess or leading a team to the Super Bowl. Scoot Pilgrim Vs. The World stirs up those video game memories right from the start with the Opening Universal logo and theme song with 8-bit graphics and sound. It is quite the rarity for a movie to take on the feel of not only a video game, but the old school feel video games is even more rare. While many may complain about the quick moving thoughts almost like someone with ADD this only helped with the fact that this movie was based on a graphic novel and each quick scene was the equivalent of a comic strip box.
While the supporting cast of actors do a great job, Michal Cera truly shines in his performance as Scott Pilgrim. Cera plays the role with his usual corkyness and teenage awkwardness that anyone who has seen him in previous to this would be accustomed with. He fulfills his role with perfection especially during the battle round scenes, that give not only great moments of laughter but even add a feeling of the video games with the power-ups and weapons.
The story is brilliant, I love the idea that Cera's character in order to date a girl must defeat her seven evil exes. The creativity of each progressing battle culminating in the ultimate battle was simply something that left me in awe of the great visuals. The direction worked as it moved so quickly and flawlessly from thought to thought.
This film though is foremost an homage to video game culture. If you love video games, Scott Pilgrim piles on the references from fighting games such as Tekken to bits from the Zelda games soundtrack. Scott's pickup line to Ramona is about the origin of the name Pac-man. Which on a side note was something I had never heard and so it was neat to pick up another useless little fact. Wright's style draws on the classic gaming imagery with the use of low bit CGI (Computer Generated Images), comic book illustration, anime and more. Someone that is younger will gel with that, but someone older could definitely find this to be a complete visual overload. If our normal, humdrum lives took place in a world with video game or comic book rules, this movie is precisely what it would look and feel like.
Fueling the whole story is a wild imagination. At one point Ramona pulls out a giant Donkey Kong sized sledgehammer out of her purse, echoing countless fantasy games where characters carry around weapons and items that you never see on their person during game play until its being used. One scene even spoofs Seinfeld and other sitcoms. when Scott comes home to his apartment and a laugh track accompanies his interaction with his roommate Wallace. Yet the scene ends and then there are no other sitcom references. That's how quickly the scenes come and go. The transitions are abrupt, with scenes going from one place to another sometimes in seconds. There are no drawn out dramatic conversations, just bursts and vital snippets with occasional graphics and unique style shots.
Scott Pilgrim Vs. The World is a movie that is unlike any other that I have seen. Wright pushes the feel of a movie with the video gaming imagery. This is definitely a movie that may not be for everyone but for those who enjoy video games like me would enjoy this homage movie. I am giving Scott Pilgrim Vs. The World three and a half buckets of popcorn out of five. This is one that I will more then likely end up adding to my collection when the price is right and I would say it is definitely worth the price of renting.
-The Movie Man
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