Everything I wanted it to be - Heartfelt, Original and Cool As Hell!

Rating: 10/10 (2 September 2010)

As proved by Hot Fuzz and Shaun of the Dead, Edgar Wright is a great filmmaker. His techniques may not have the polished precision that Christopher Nolan normally brings to his films, but Wright's energy and love for the material that he is directing and the way his enthusiasm floods the screen, in my opinion, makes him a great filmmaker. Never has this been more evident than in Scott Pilgrim Vs. The World, his best film to date. It won't be for everyone (my dad hated it), but I loved it. It's what (500) Days of Summer would have been if it was filtered through the eyes of Quentin Tarantino.
22-year-old Scott Pilgrim (Michael Cera) is a slacker. He lives with his gay roommate Wallace (the hilarious Kieran Culkin), goes out with a 17-year-old with the awesome name of Knives Chau (the adorably quirky Ellen Wong) and spends a lot of time rocking with the fellow members of his band, the Sex Bob-ombs. One day, his life is turned upside down by the arrival of mysterious Ramon Flowers (Mary Elizabeth Winstead). Drawn to Ramona to the point where he dumps Knives, Scott discovers that if he is to win the hand of this fair maiden, he has to overcome one little obstacle. Well, seven, as Ramona has seven evil exes who will do anything to destroy Scott and his relationship with Ramona. Finding his lazy lifestyle under threat, Scott must prepare to battle for Ramona and bring out the "L" word; no, not that one.
What I love most about Scott Pilgrim is the way in which it constantly surprises and delights the viewer. This isn't your typical, generic romantic comedy; this is a smart, very funny romantic comedy spliced with the genes of a bad-ass martial arts flick. The screenplay scores big time; the dialogue is sharp and hugely entertaining enough to keep even those who've just gone to this movie for the action spellbound, and there are too many memorable characters to count with your ten fingers. When the action arrives, it is phenomenal. Each of the villains have unique fighting styles, assets and weaknesses, making each fight scene interesting. Plus, even though the men outnumber the women in this movie, the women don't just stand on the sidelines; they kick ass with the best of them, too. The action is right up there with the Kill Bill movies and The Matrix, but did those movies have Michael Cera fighting off a bunch of goons with a flaming sword? I think not.
Which brings me to the performances, which are terrific across the board. Whilst Cera has made a career out of portraying awkward, dopey characters, his goofy charm fits the role of Scott Pilgrim perfectly. He also brings a darker, often unsympathetic edge to his character; Scott is cowardly (observe his reactions in the scene where Knives, still in a relationship with Scott, and Ramona, having just started a relationship with Scott, first meet), whiny and manipulative (I love how he tricks some of the exes into their own defeat). Also on a different note to his usual performances, he becomes an unexpected champion warrior in the action scenes. As Ramona, Winstead is appealingly street-wise and sympathetic; she's a girl who is trying to flee from her past, but who must confront it if she wants any hope for a future. Culkin and Wong steal their scenes, whilst more strong support comes from the likes of Twilight's Anna Kendrick as Scott's sister Stacey, Alison Pill as Sex Bob-ombs drummer Kim and Aubrey Plaza as gossip Julie. Out of the evil exes, Chris Evans AKA The Human Torch/Captain America and Brandon Routh AKA Superman are especially fantastic as movie star Lucas Lee and vegan - powered (!) bass player Todd Ingram respectively. However, my favourite of the exes has to be the ace Jason Schwartzman as the big, bad and oh so cool No. 1, Gideon Graves. He is an awesome character, with one of the coolest lairs that I have seen, and yet he's such a sneering weasel that I couldn't help but laugh at him.
Scott Pilgrim is never anything less than amazing to look at. The cinematography by Spider-Man's Bill Pope is magical, moving between gritty realism and gorgeous style (a scene where Scott and Ramona simply walk through the snow is captivating). The visual effects, as I said before, are just perfect. Whilst some people may find the film's style difficult to adjust to, I loved it from start to finish. As with everything else in the movie, the visual effects are original, hysterical and pitch-perfect. All of the details, such as a pee bar appearing as Scott goes to the toilet and depleting as he does his business, or when Chau's love for Scott floats through the air in pink lettering that he brushes aside, are just right within the context of this movie. The movie isn't bad on the ears either, with wonderful sound design and an electrifying soundtrack.
I adore this movie. I couldn't have asked for more from it; it manages to be something entirely different, whilst also striking truthful emotional notes. Under all of the mesmerising visual effects and mad fight scenes, this is essentially a journey of self-discovery for its main character, a chance for him to develop as a person and right his life. It is this journey which gives Scott Pilgrim the ever-crucial humanity it needs to succeed. The final shot is unexpectedly beautiful, a truly poignant comment on how the uncertain future is better faced together. Everything about this movie is so spot-on that it isn't just one of the best movies of the year; it is a great movie, full stop, and will, without any doubt, come to be regarded as a classic. For me, Scott Pilgrim is a definite K.O.