Let's talk about Edgar Wright. He's a writer/director who has shown that he can do no wrong. The World's End draws to a close his (and actor/co-writer Simon Pegg's) Blood and Cornetto Trilogy which began with Shaun of the Dead and Hot Fuzz. These three movies reflect Wright and Pegg's razor sharp wit and intense, nerd-love of genre pictures and cinematic pop culture references. This trilogy is essentially a film extension of Wright's amazing TV series, Spaced. Factor in Scott Pilgrim vs. the World and you can see that Edgar Wright is one of the best filmmakers working today. (Note: Spaced is currently streaming on both Netflix and Hulu. So, no excuses. Go watch it, now.)
The Blood and Cornetto Trilogy are only connected by their heavy genre influences and by the theme of friendship. Shaun of the Dead is about how strong friendships can spoil romantic relationships. Hot Fuzz is about finding friendship. And The World's End is about losing friends. And robots! Alien robots!
Gary King (Simon Pegg) has never outgrown one glorious night in the 90s when he and his friends attempted to complete the Golden Mile, which is drinking a pint at all twelve pubs in their hometown. They failed to complete it and 23 years later, Gary rounds up his estranged former-friends to attempt it again. Along the way, they begin to suspect that the citizens of their town are robots. They must sort out their issues, drink a lot of beer, and avoid being assimilated.
While not as good as SotD or Hot Fuzz (Wright's best film), The World's End is still one of the best comedies of the year. It boasts some wickedly clever dialogue, amazing action sequences, and a real emotional core. That emotional core is what makes these movies so engaging. The characters become real people that you really care about. It's that difference that elevates The World's End beyond a movie about an epic pub crawl. You're joining in on that pub crawl.
The cast is stellar. Simon Pegg gives his most nuanced performance yet. Nick Frost gets to defy expectation by being the quiet one (for a bit). Eddie Marsan sheds his usual crazy/tough guy persona to be hen-pecked and cowardly. Paddy Considine (one of my favorite actors) nearly steals the show. Martin Freeman basically plays Martin Freeman (but he's so good at it). Rosamund Pike not only holds her own amidst this group of England's finest, she shines. Throw in an appearance by Pierce Brosnan and a quick cameo from Bill Nighy, and you're looking at a veritable who's who of U.K. awesomeness.
This is the kind of movie that begs to be watched with good friends and good beer (or water). These Edgar Wright/Simon Pegg movies endlessly reward repeat viewership, so don't just settle for one viewing (or beer). Despite several other movies this year being technically better (which is impressive because Edgar Wright is a visionary genius), The World's End is one of my favorites of 2013. Grab some popcorn and Cornetto (or probably substitute Drumsticks) and do not miss this movie.
8 out of 10
While not as good as SotD or Hot Fuzz (Wright's best film), The World's End is still one of the best comedies of the year. It boasts some wickedly clever dialogue, amazing action sequences, and a real emotional core. That emotional core is what makes these movies so engaging. The characters become real people that you really care about. It's that difference that elevates The World's End beyond a movie about an epic pub crawl. You're joining in on that pub crawl.
The cast is stellar. Simon Pegg gives his most nuanced performance yet. Nick Frost gets to defy expectation by being the quiet one (for a bit). Eddie Marsan sheds his usual crazy/tough guy persona to be hen-pecked and cowardly. Paddy Considine (one of my favorite actors) nearly steals the show. Martin Freeman basically plays Martin Freeman (but he's so good at it). Rosamund Pike not only holds her own amidst this group of England's finest, she shines. Throw in an appearance by Pierce Brosnan and a quick cameo from Bill Nighy, and you're looking at a veritable who's who of U.K. awesomeness.
This is the kind of movie that begs to be watched with good friends and good beer (or water). These Edgar Wright/Simon Pegg movies endlessly reward repeat viewership, so don't just settle for one viewing (or beer). Despite several other movies this year being technically better (which is impressive because Edgar Wright is a visionary genius), The World's End is one of my favorites of 2013. Grab some popcorn and Cornetto (or probably substitute Drumsticks) and do not miss this movie.
8 out of 10
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