Those that have read my Youth in Revolt review know that I really had it with Michael Cera. Not because he’s a bad actor, but because he seems to be playing the same character in each movie he does, which is the role of an insecure teenager (although he’s already 22), who’s very clumsy and despite that manages to get with the girl of his dreams. It’s a shame he’s being typecast, because I think he’s capable of playing different roles. Does Scott Pilgrim vs. the World give Cera the opportunity to show another side of his range as an actor? Yes and no.
Scott Pilgrim has been based on a comic series (which I hadn’t heard of, but then again I only read some comics when I was much younger). Scott doesn’t do a lot, he plays guitar in a band, but doesn’t do much else. He’s dating Knives Chau, but forgets all about her when he sees Ramona Flowers, literally the girl of his dreams. He gets a mail that states that in order to win her heart he first will have to defeat her 7 exes, in fights to the death. Initially he thinks nothing of it, but when her first ex appears he’s forced to fight and he realises it’s no joke.
The influence of comics and games on the movie are very apparent. You’ll see it in every detail. When the phone rings or someone knocks on a door, you will see the sound translated to words as you would in comics. When Scott is playing together with his band (Sex Bob-omb) you’ll see the sound waves. The effects are very original and used to great effect. The same is true for the gaming influences. The fights sometimes are shown as classic 2d fighting games. When an opponent has been defeated their body disappears and a lot of coins disappear. A lot of classic game sounds are used as well and the opening of the movie, with a Universal logo looking like a classic NES game and 8-bit music, is pure genius. These are things that both comic book and game fans will definitely enjoy.
The fights with the exes are amazing. The editing is sublime, which results in very dynamic fights. You’d almost think that Michael Cera has already done several martial arts movies. It’s a side of him which I hadn’t seen before. When he’s not fighting he plays the same role he always does, but because of the great story and the all the other interesting characters I wasn’t annoyed by Cera. It just seemed to be a perfect fit with the character.
The rest of the cast is excellent as well. I really was surprised how young Anna Kendrick looked if you compare her to the way she looked in Up in the Air.
Scott Pilgrim vs. the World is a movie which I watched with a big grin on my face. The story has been very well written, the fights are a joy to watch and there are no boring moments. So another movie I highly recommend!
Score: 9
For me it was average, but not more. I liked the actress that played Cera’s love interest. Never heard of ner before but she seems to have potantial and was the most memorable character for me (maybe, because she changed her hair color every two weeks lol)