Review of The World's End (2013) by Mike P — 12 May 2014

"The First Post. The Old Familiar. The Famous Cock. The Cross Hands. The Good Companions. The Trusty Servant. The Two Headed Dog. The Mermaid. The Beehive. The King's Head. The Hole in the Wall. The World's End.".

Edgar Wright is one of the most unique and stylized directors working currently. Each of his films have a similar tone and atmosphere, yet they're all so stylistically unique on their own, and The World's End could quite possibly be his best, in my opinion.

Every line of dialogue in this film has some sort of relevance to either the overall story or to a running joke. There is not a single line of throwaway dialogue or a single scene that doesn't have an impact on the story. This movie is jam-packed with a constant barrage of jokes, all of which are subtle, well-thought out, and delivered with perfect execution. It will take multiple viewings in order to pick up on most of these jokes.

I find it pathetic how much I related to this film and how much I realized that I'm basically Gary King in real life (aside from being an eccentric alcoholic). Desperately clinging to the good ol' days, constantly trying to relive my teenage years, completely terrified of the idea of moving on with my life and becoming an actual adult. This film understands that and tackles it in such a way that it's almost depressing because of how true to life it is, but in a good way.

The World's End is one of the most well-written, intelligent, and introspective films that I've seen in recent years, not just comedies. I can't fairly compare it to Shaun of the Dead or Hot Fuzz because I haven't seen either recently enough to accurately judge them in comparison, but on it's own, The World's End is a brilliantly smart and enjoyable film.