Scott Pilgrim vs. The World: Why it's one of the best comic book movies ever
Though the film bombed at the box office, Scott Pilgrim vs. The World received fantastic reviews, as well as several film awards and nominations. The movie has since achieved a massive cult following, which led to Netflix's 2023 animated series, Scott Pilgrim Takes Off, with the original cast reprising their roles for the show.
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15 years later, Scott Pilgrim vs. The World remains one of the best comic book movies due to its spectacular ensemble cast, vibrant characters, wacky moments, clever writing, and pitch-perfect music.
Edgar Wright's wacky direction
Staying true to the film's source material, director Edgar Wright utilized a rich comic book/video game aesthetic to bring Scott Pilgrim's world to the big screen. Featuring animated sound effects, split-screen camera shots, giant monsters, and well-choreographed fight scenes, Scott Pilgrim vs. The World looks like a superhero comic book brought to life.
Scott Pilgrim is one huge Easter egg hunt. The movie delivers many pop culture references and homages, particularly to the video games The Legend of Zelda and Sonic the Hedgehog, that add to the film's distinctive style. It even squeezed in a great Seinfeld homage for good measure.
This all merges multiple forms of media into one transcendent film straight out of every gamer and comic book nerd's wildest fantasy. This is a perfect fit for Scott's story, as it seems like the audience is seeing the world from his point of view, making for a hilarious, mind-blowing action film unlike any other.
Scott Pilgrim is a surprisingly mature story
Beneath its video game-inspired narrative and over-the-top fights, Scott Pilgrim is a heartfelt, relatable tale about two flawed people overcoming their toxic nature and growing as human beings as they fall in love.
Scott is forced to confront his selfish, inconsiderate actions toward others as he juggles dating two women at once. Ramona goes through a similar arc as she confronts her dark past, which manifests as the evil exes seeking vengeance for her mistreatment of them.
You wouldn't normally root for characters like Scott and Ramona. They don't seem like they should be together. However, the film humanizes them as they grow from their mistakes and work toward fixing themselves. They are truly deserving of each other in the end. As the film so explicitly states, the story is less about battling for love and more about fighting for self-respect.
The razor-sharp humor
Wright crafts all the scenes and events in his films like one long dance. This applies to Scott Pilgrim's clever brand of comedy, with one incredible joke after another. This rapid-fire comedy predominantly consists of Scott's awkward antics, Wallace's witty one-liners, and the evil exes.
Scott Pilgrim offers many ridiculous and hilarious gags, including Aubrey Plaza's censored dialogue and Scott's realization about bread. The film also brings plenty of laughs thanks to its several oddball characters, from the Bollywood dancing guy dressed like a pirate to the Will Arnett-esque action star to the dimwitted vegan with psychic powers.
With so many wacky, fantastical elements, what makes them even funnier is the way Scott Pilgrim normalizes them all with ridiculous logic. For example, Ramona has the superhuman ability to travel through subspace, but with a deadpan expression, she brushes off something that Canada just doesn't have.
What's even wilder is that characters could fight until one of them bursts into a pile of change, and no one would bat an eye. It's a world that could only exist in this movie.
An incredible all-star cast
Scott Pilgrim features a cast packed with stars, many of whom were still establishing themselves as modern Hollywood's best actors.
These include Michael Cera (Superbad), Mary Elizabeth Winstead (Star Wars: Ahsoka), Kieran Culkin (Succession), Anna Kendrick (Pitch Perfect), Brie Larson (Captain Marvel), Aubrey Plaza (Parks and Recreation), Chris Evans (Captain America franchise), Brandon Routh (Superman Returns), Mae Whitman (Avatar: The Last Airbender), and Jason Schwartzman (Spider-Man: Beyond the Spider-Verse).
Each member of this stellar cast brings something special to the table in Scott Pilgrim, bringing such life and variety to the protagonist's comic book world. Though not all of these characters have much screen time in this film, the actors make the most of it to deliver scene-stealing performances that make each of their characters iconic (this includes Young Neil).
Outstanding music
Music is a huge part of Scott Pilgrim's story, and Wright's film went above and beyond to give audiences killer tracks. On top of some classic tunes from Frank Black, The Bluetones, and The Rolling Stones, Scott Pilgrim's soundtrack featured terrific songs written for the film by Beck and Brian LeBarton.
Scott's band, Sex Bob-Omb, delivered some head-banging songs that sound like they're from a real garage rock group. Their first jam session hooks the audience into the movie almost immediately. The cast even performed the music themselves, making the band even more spectacular. In addition, Brie Larson did a fabulous, hypnotic cover of Metric's Black Sheep, making for an unforgettable musical performance.
While there have been several comic book movies over the past couple of decades, there is hardly a motion picture quite like Scott Pilgrim vs. The World. It is probably the only movie that truly looks like a comic book and video game, invoking conventions from different media in an extravagant celebration of pop culture.
With such a talented cast and director bringing such vibrant energy and sound to this film, there will hardly ever be a movie like Scott Pilgrim.
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