Review of Scott Pilgrim vs. The World (Blu-ray + Digital Copy + UltraViolet)

Scott Pilgrim vs. The World is a highly immaginative film directed by Edgar Wright, the emerging talent behind Shaun of the Dead and Hot Fuzz. As with his previous films this too is a genre mashup of sorts, this time a 20-something slacker Rom-Com meets video-game inspired comicbook madness with a bit of Kung-Fu flavor. The result is a quick moving, stylish visual feast, unique in is visual storytelling, and extraordinary in its ability to maintain a cohesive identity all the way through. To be sure this film knows exactly what it is and it is well researched in everything it mimics, parodies, and pays homage to. Scott Pigrim vs. The World greatly benefits from this self-awareness. Even so, I'm afraid that there is far more style than substance going on. At no point in watching the film did I feel there was much at stake for any of the characters, despite all the melodrama and endless Street Fighter-esque show-downs. Most of the actors turned in strong performances and yet I had trouble attaching myself to any of these characters. And while there were a few laughs here there just wasn't much in the way of real joy or humor to be had. Chalk this up to largely shallow and formula-driven subject matter I suppose. While worth seeing for its ambitious visual handling and commentary on all things Trending Now, I couldn't help but feel a bit disappointed at the amout of oridariness also going on here.