A Pilgrim's Journey

Rating: 7/10 (16 March 2017)

A comic book adaptation which doesn't shy away from its geeky roots, Edgar Wright's imagining of his titular hero - played expertly by Michael Cera - is as campy, over-the-top and teenagery as you would hope for the portrayal of an unemployed, 20-something who plays bass and has a 17-year-old Asian schoolgirl beau.
In a world in which any and everyone seems to be superheroically enhanced, our nominative hero battles the League/Guild of 'Seven Deadly Exes' of new crush, Ramona Flowers. The quirky feel of the film is what makes it so enjoyable though, from a visual 'pee bar' which drains with the character, to hugely enjoyable snappiness of characters such as Kieran Culkins' roommate, Wallace or Anna Kendricks' sister, Stacey who really add to the film's frantic and frenetic rhythm. The battles/fight Sequences themselves do leave something to be desired, but it is clear to see that these are simply the window dressing, nerd-bait designed to appease more ardent fans. In reality, the best moments of this film come in the form of character development, growth and pathos which is not-so-subtly reflected via meta visuals on screen ("Scott just earned his self-respect Power Up!") Overall, it's an enjoyable enough romp with enough enthusiasm and vigor to keep you interested for it's very reasonable runtime.