SCOTT PILGRIM VS. THE WORLD (Edgar Wright, 2010) **1/2

Rating: 6/10 (16 March 2011)

Touted as a cult-classic-in-the-making, I decided to check this out – despite being lukewarm on the director's popular earlier effort SHAUN OF THE DEAD (2004) – on the strength of the not dissimilar but far superior KICK-ASS (2010). This, in fact, concerns a geeky young man turning unexpectedly into a hero; still, it is not a typical comic-strip adaptation – what it is, I am not really sure, except to say that it epitomizes the film-as-video-game mentality!
Mind you, it is all somewhat enjoyable (especially the incongruous camaraderie –including Scott's gay room-mate and members of his rock group being named Stephen Stills and Young Neil!) yet too silly to leave much of a lasting impression. The plot involves the titular character falling for a mystery girl (winsome Mary Elizabeth Winstead, whom I had watched in four previous films yet only now did she catch my attention!) but, in order to be with her, he has to first defeat her seven former flings and also drop his own current lover, an underage Japanese girl!
The villains include special guest stars – the term is to be used lightly here – like Chris Evans (an ex-Fantastic 4 and soon-to-be Captain America!) as an arrogant movie idol, Brandon Routh (the most recent Superman) as a vain alien(!) and Jason Schwartzman as the evil boss of the lot, the very music mogul to whom the hero's outfit would be signed if they were to win a battle-of-the-bands-type contest; three other opponents were fellow participants (two of them twins), and yet another a lesbian!