Cinema Styles: Scott Pilgrim vs. The World is a flawless victory
Scott Pilgrim vs. The World is the 2010 film from the talented Edgar Wright, and it’s one of the greatest films of this century. It tells the story of Scott Pilgrim (Michael Cera), a young Torontonian musician, recovering from having been recently dumped by his now ex-girlfriend. His band is on the cusp of scoring a major record deal but Scott is distracted. His affection is split between two new women in his life, one of whom has seven evil exes he must defeat in order to win her love.
Words can’t describe how fun this movie is. The pace is about as fast as can be, but the viewer never feels lost. The writing is smart and hilarious, and the film bursts with creativity and inventiveness. It’s one of the most visually stimulating films ever made, with the transitions between scenes being notable for their unique attributes. This film is innovative in every technical aspect of filmmaking, and even though it’s more than 10 years old, there’s still nothing quite like it.
Scott Pilgrim vs. The World is a movie about the insanity often associated with falling and being in love. It’s an actionpacked romance for the easily-distracted modern era. The humor is almost anarchic in its style and one never knows what will happen next in a given scene. The film has a punk rock ethos infused throughout, and proudly wears its influences on its sleeves. The movie’s graphics and special effects often make it appear as if the characters are actually existing within a comic book or video game.
The film’s imagery borrows extensively from video games and comic books. In fact, the movie was an adaptation of Bryan Lee O’malley’s acclaimed graphic novel series. References to various comics and video games abound throughout the movie, most of which will be lost on the casual viewer. These little “easter eggs’’ hidden throughout the film make it a fun experience to revisit.
This movie is a visual poem composed of pop culture elements, serving as a tribute to the influences it borrows from. It also challenges old perceptions of storytelling. The film itself seems to be at war with archaic ways of making movies in the same way Scott is at war with the evil exes. The film could even be retitled Scott Pilgrim vs. Conventional Storytelling.
The musical elements of the film also help to give it its incomparable distinction. The music was written by several established artists including Beck, Metric, and Broken Social Scene. With several main characters in bands, music plays an integral part in the storyline. Director Edgar Wright said he made the film in the style of a musical, but with characters breaking into a fight instead of breaking into a song and dance. These fight sequences provide insight into the individual characters, and aren’t merely there as action set pieces.
These character insights are enhanced by the actors’ performances in this movie. The cast is led by Michael Cera as Scott Pilgrim, his deadpan delivery perfect for the slacker turned hero at the center of the story. Ellen Wong and Mary Elizabeth Winstead shine as the romantic leads, Knives Chau and Ramona Flowers, each of them bringing agency and tenacity to their characters. Alison Pill and Mark Webber are fantastic as the bandmates, each with their own frustrations about Scott. Kieran Culkin threatens to steal every scene as Scott’s gay roommate.
Surprisingly, Scott Pilgrim vs. The World was a box office failure. Since its release, it has received near-unanimous praise and a huge following of fans. This has earned it the distinction of a “cult classic.” It’s an unforgettable film with a unique visual style and sense of humor. It’s a film that not only invites nerds and geeks of all varieties, it revels in their geekdom and posits the idea nerdiness can be powerful. It’s an engaging thrill ride through a fantasy video game world. At the end, you will want to insert more coins into the machine and hit “continue.”
Robert Styles studied Film at UCLA, and worked as an editor and producer on several film, commercial, and music video projects in Los Angeles. He currently teaches the intermediate and advanced Video Production courses in the Multimedia & Technology Academy at Monache High School. His column appears in The Recorder every Tuesday.