Lackluster ode to douchebaggery

Rating: Null/10 (15 May 2014)

This Is the End seems to be one of those comedy movies that believe idiots and arrogant assholes are funny. And granted, it manages to give more than valiant effort to support this claim. Most of its jokes are rather cringeworthy, but every now and then it will make you laugh.
So what's the story? Jay Baruchel, playing himself, has come to Hollywood to meet his old buddy Seth Rogen. Seth decides that they should go to James Franco's housewarming party, but while there the apocalypse happens. Props for imaginative setting and idea if nothing else. We have seen these "actors playing outrageous versions of themselves" films before, but never quite like this. It'd also be an easy guess to make that, taking place in the apocalypse, all these actors would play tough action hero versions of themselves, but actually no. The movie treats them as rather pathetic human beings, which is at times frustrating and at times funny.
The film's biggest flaw for me was the fact that none of the character were at all likable. Sure this is intentional in order to create comedy, but it's still hard to watch a movie where your most honest reaction to pretty much anything would be to hit the characters with a sledgehammer. Jay Baruchel is not as bad as the others and his down to earth performance saves a lot, but it alone is not enough to pull this film from the pit.
Still, in the end it's not a bad film. I'm sure it'd be outrageously funny if its kind of comedy is your thing. Furthermore, it's effects are surprisingly good for a comedy film, the plot is rather interesting and the characters feel like unique individuals. Not my personal cup of tea, so to speak, but I don't regret seeing it.