This energetic all-star doomsday comedy is as funny, energetic, and charming as it sets out to be

Rating: 9/10 (21 August 2017)

What kind of fun and laughter should be expected from a movie starring an ensemble group of A-list actors taking on the end of the world? A lot, actually. That is the purpose writer and directors Seth Rogen and Evan Goldberg bring to the table of this energetic hard-R comedic cornucopia that places a team of comedic veterans in the battle for survival against the biblical apocalypse. That's right, the main elephant in the room is the apocalypse described in the Book of Revelations. But with a sharp delivery of raunchy R- rated humor and dialogue dropped into the mix, this is not one Christians should go into expecting something in the vain of 'Left Behind'. It is an unflinchingly raunchy take on the biblical disaster, spliced with wild bursts of laughter and clever pop culture references, of all which are delivered by actors who all playing not original characters but fictional versions of their real-life personas. So here it how everything goes down. Seth Rogen invites his friend Jay Barachul to a party at James Franco's house where Rogen introduces him to Jonah Hill, Craig Robinson, and an enormous crowd of other actors who make minor cameos including Michael Cera, David Krumholtz, Rihanna, Jason Segal, Emma Watson, and many others -- most of whom do not make it to the end. While Rogen is having a good time, the wild partying doesn't quite bode well with Barachul. Things only get worse when the city of Los Angeles is suddenly devastated by series of catastrophic events during what Barachul believes is Judgement Day as described the bible. When the enormous disasters claims the lives of the vast majority of the party, the only survivors are Rogen, Barachul, Hill, Robinson, Franco, and later Danny McBride who crashes the party. As everyone is barricaded inside Franco's house, the six friends struggle to survive against the disaster that places their friendships to the test -- with reasonably hilarious results.
There are plenty of surprises to expect from a comedy-doomsday hybrid revolving around actors playing satirical versions of themselves. Aside from shredding the bushes with familiar disaster elements, the A- list cast has plenty of offer in the midst of the scorching R-rated raunchiness. Blurring the lines between reality and fiction, Each of the cast members splashes us with a solid delivery with meta-humor and clever pop cultures with the purpose of poking fun at each other's real-life careers. For instance, Seth Rogen and James Franco pin themselves in a key plot point regarding a sequel to 'Pineapple Express', a comedy starring the two. And the cast makes great fun of it in one scene involving a cheeky reenactment of the fan-based trailer uploaded online as an April Fools' joke. Furthermore, it is no surprise that these six actors, all of whom had collaborated in the past, share an irresistible chemistry with each other. The foul-mouthed banter, consisting of gut-busting raunchy one-liners, is the driving force of the story and almost never fails to hit at the funny bone. And let's not forget a scene focusing on Emma Watson, or an early scene portraying the goofy, immature persona of Michael Cera. Is it consistently funny? Not quite, especially when it dives into a preposterous subplot involving Jonah Hill toward the end. But their gift for tapping into the laugh box with their hilarity and heartful themes of friendship are endearing and make up for the occasional blemishes in the script. Of course, the irreverent treatment of the biblical apocalypse will, with no surprise; leave filmgoers bound in their Christian faith, with a cold shoulder. That is if they even bother to withstand the lewd nature of the film. Four-letter words, vulgar sex jokes, there is more than enough to overwhelm those who are converted to the Seth Rogen comedic fare.
This Is The End is a wildly entertaining comedy soaring with sharp comedic energy from a cast of infectiously charming comedic veterans. It is a fun comedic fare that stands high on the ladder of its genre. Anyone hungry for an order of raunchy laughs with a side of a little heart and smarts is gifted with a chance of experiencing what maybe one of the funniest comedies in recent years. Not a game- changer, but an entry that warrants a solid "thumps up".