Scott Pilgrim vs. the World
Director: Edgar Wright
Year Released: 2010
Rating: 2.0
Honorable attempt to translate the video game-inspired graphic novel by Brian Lee O'Malley to the big screen - keeping many of its game references intact - unfortunately Tries Too Hard and Panders Too Much. Glib Scott Pilgrim (Michael Cera) accepts the task of fighting off the Seven Evil Exes of a certain Glib Ramona Flowers (Mary Elizabeth Winstead) - while the approach is overbearing and schematic, the underlying point is timeless and relevant, mainly that whenever a person dates someone new, there's always that subconscious (or conscious) concern that one cannot possibly 'measure up' to the former lovers in the other person's life. Relationships thrive on trust and compassion, and the initial roadblocks (whether real or imagined), once conquered, can only lead one forward - it's jealousy-as-boss battle (complete with health bars, magical weapons, flying kicks and 1-Ups). Ironically, some people find the tie-in game (for the Playstation 3) more emotionally rewarding than the movie, but the game lacks Kieran Culkin as Scott's confidante (Culkin takes a one-dimensional character and makes him a memorably snarky sidekick).
