Review of Scott Pilgrim vs. the World (2010) by Game O — 12 Dec 2017

Scott Pilgrim vs. the Movie Critic.

So let me guess, one of your best friends is in shock that you still have not seen or even heard of Scott Pilgrim vs. the World. Believe me, now that they know this bit of information about you, they will not stop the pestering you until watch this miraculous film to completion. Scott Pilgrim vs the World is one of those movies that you go into expecting something basic and ending up getting something way weirder and awesome than usual. It is filled to the brim with nerd and pop culture references to make geeks like me and you giddy. The movie takes place in a small town in Toronto, Canada, where Scott Pilgrim is a nerdy 22 year old that falls in love with the character Ramona Flowers. However, in order to be with her, he must face her seven evil exes to a duel and defeat them all.

This is one of those movies that would never make sense in the real world, but somehow is acceptable and understandable within the context of the movie. For example, The battles between Scott and Ramona's exes take place like a video game battle would. When Scott defeats his enemy, the ex explodes into a bunch of coins, very much like a video game. Scott then picks up the coins off the ground and they appear to be quarters. Scott then makes a comment on how it is not even enough for the bus ride home. The awesome part about this scene is that nobody is shocked by the person that has exploded into quarters; all of the characters accept this as normal, therefore, so does the audience.

There are moments when graphics appear on screen like the movie is a comic book. This is a nice callback to the graphic novel series by Bryan Lee O'Malley. For fans of the graphic novel, the little onomonopias that appear are a really nice touch that makes it feel like the books are coming to life. These little details make the film really unique, it is unlike any other movie I've seen, especially in terms of editing. Edgar Wright, the director of the film, had a lot of creative freedom that he utilized in his editing style while still staying true to the fans of the graphic novel series.

Even if you have never read the graphic novels, there is still a lot to love about this movie. References are made to a lot of things in our cultures; for example, there are parts of the movie where music from the classic video game, Zelda, plays in the background, bringing the audience even closer to that world. I remember watching this movie for the first time and thinking, "Wait a minute, this music sounds familiar... How did they even get the rights from Nintendo to put Zelda music in here?" I'm still not sure how they got the rights from Nintendo, but I was tickled pink by the fact this movie referenced my favorite video game franchise. There is also a scene where Scott walks into his apartment and music from Seinfeld plays in the background. The editing of that scene changes completely to make it seem like the classic reality tv show; a laugh track even plays after Scott busts a joke. It is amazing how just a change in editing can be a joke in and of itself.

Scott has a lot of relatable qualities that make this movie so awesome, because from the very beginning you are on Scott's side and want him to win. From his dramatic reactions, constant complaining, and awkward small talking, Scott shares a lot in common with my generation. When you see him battling it out to the death to get the girl of his dreams, you can't help but imagine yourself in his shoes. Overall, this movie was a heartfelt romance story, but it was told in the most epic, hilarious way it possibly could have. If you are like me, and like to imagine yourself in your favorite video game battling it out for the greater good, then you will love this movie.