Stands out on its own with its unique blend of media genres, but not for everybody

Rating: 6/10 (12 December 2010)

It seems to me that many people do not "get" this film. A friend of mind called this movie "juvenile" and "immature". I think he missed the point of the movie completely.
Now I'm not going to waste my time commenting on all the performances, because for a teen/college love story they are perfect in their supposed way. Michael Cera, Mary Elizabeth Winstead, everyone in the film is perfectly cast and they fit into their characters like a glove, as well as the chemistry between them which is evident throughout. Scott and Ramona's chemistry in particular is kind of cute.
Nor am I going to talk much about the screenplay, which is not-quite- unoriginal, it's absurd, yes, but it is as it should be, and the openness with some Hollywood-taboo themes such as homosexuality and directly/indirectly cheating is quite a first, the screenwriters deserve commendation for that. Not forgetting the dialog which is hip and urban as it should be.
No, this film is purely about the visual style and this is where it succeeds. An amalgamation of multiple media genres, such as film to video game to music video to comic book to alternative rock music and then back again. It's really loopy but it's done in a tastefully and deservedly flashy way. There's changing aspect ratios, onomatopoeia (the "WHAM" and "BAM" in comic books in case you don't know), health bars, flying people, weapons coming out of nowhere, awesome rock music, virtual comic books, 1UPs, you get the idea. It's THE film for the video game generation, and it is very proud of it.
By using this, "Hot Fuzz" director Edgar Wright manages to combine the said teen love story screenplay above with this visual style, and using his frenetic and lively direction, he transforms what would be an ordinary teen film into an extraordinary visual experience. Note that this multiple genre mash can turn people off, as evidenced by the poor box-office returns this film has recouped.
I don't know whether it was Wright or Universal or both to decide whether to bring the film (based on a Canadian graphic novel, no less) to life and to this fashion but it was a solid, and to me rewarding, effort. It's as if you're watching a real video game come to life, and the hip soundtrack and unique visuals all help you enjoy the experience even more. I'd call this a successful experiment and let's see more from Wright and company.
Overall this will definitely be a cult favorite, no doubt. I surprisingly enjoyed the thrill ride (however absurd and surreal it may be, it's still exhilarating and hilarious) and this film is ultimately a unique one which has to be seen to be believed.
Overall rating: 75/100