Edgar Wright's Masterpiece

Rating: 10/10 (14 December 2014)

Edgar Wright, damn this guy is one talented SOB. He has a unique knack for delivering the goods on multiple levels: jaw-dropping action merged with razor-sharp comedy, straightforward narratives combined with complex and thought-provoking subtexts. Not to mention the efficiency in his editing, his always great use of music, and his ability to draw excellent performances from his actors.
He is most known for his Cornetto Trilogy (Shaun of the Dead, Hot Fuzz, The World's End). Three magnificent films that I hold near and dear to my heart. But his true masterpiece is Scott Pilgrim vs. the World.
You wanna know how to adapt a comic book? This is how you do it folks. Completely capturing the playful tone of Brian Lee O'Malley's source material, and really staying faithful to the awesome characters and story lines.
Some have said Wright stays a bit too faithful, going overboard by staging every single "evil ex" battle from the comic. And had he styled each battle the same way, it could have gotten a bit tiring. But the fight scenes in the film are all totally inventive and quite different from each other. Satisfying on so many levels. C'mon, Vegan Police? Completely brilliant. And goddamn, it's Michael Cera vs Captain America. Then vs Superman. Then vs Max Fischer from Rushmore?? All incredible and hilarious fights. Wow!
Maybe best of all, Wright really flexes his filmmaking muscles and shows us great range here. Can he make great films outside the UK? Can he make great films without Simon Pegg? Can he handle a big budget? Yes, yes, and yes. Nothing this guy can't do. Scott Pilgrim is the masterpiece that proves it.