Last night, I had the privilege of seeing one of the (if not THE) most awesome combinations of visual and audio stimulation ever put to digital recording. SCOTT PILGRIM VS. THE WORLD is just a beautiful adaptation of Bryan Lee O'Malley's graphic novels, eschewing the deep characterization that the books have the time for, to bring the frenetic action and indie rock music to life. It's like seeing the pages come alive, and since the books rock ultimate, that's just downright delightful.
The soundtrack with jumps from 80's videogame music to Beck-infused rock is a major highlight to this movie. Videogames and videogame references are splattered across the graphic novels and from the opening you realize Edgar Wright was not going to waste a chance to exploit the movie medium for original references. Also, the music of the bands (Sex Bob-Omb, The Clash at Demonhead, Crash and the Boys) are stunningly good. You will be picking up the soundtrack.
And the fights! O'Malley can draw a good fight, but the ones presented in this movie are ridiculously awesome. Not just the choreography, either. The camera angles give the scenes that extra punch with overhead and moving shots. The Street Fighter influence on the action is particularly awesome, having VS. appear when a fight breaks out and multiple instances of differing game effects with each fight.
The humor of books is also on display. It's freaking hilarious. I have to give it up to the villain turns of Jason Schwartzman, Brandon Routh and particularly Chris Evans, who is just stealing the movie away during his scene. The fact is, though, everyone is pulling their weight, especially Edgar Wright with his cut scenes and sight gags. Michael Cera pulls off the various, differing aspects of Scott Pilgrim well. His general cockiness, paranoid vulnerability, frequent cluelessness, and eventual determination are all there. Plus, it's Michael Cera and that pretty much would have gotten me into the seat, anyway.
Kieran Culkin : Wallace Wells :: Robert Downey Jr. : Tony Stark
Overall, I think what I liked most about the movie is that, even with how close it was to the source material, the divergent path it took was still in keeping with the story. And it was still brilliant. It's a movie you can enjoy tremendously with or without having read the books, because what you love about the story is still there, presented in a more kinetic way.
Rating: *In Miz voice* AAAWWWWWEEE-SSSOOOOOMMMMMEEE!! (Wait, do I like The Miz, now? Damn.)
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