A while back, I was given a graphic novel and told that I would “love it.” I assumed I would, because I had similar tastes to those of the woman who lent it to me, but I never got around to it. Then, one day, after logging on to CBM, I saw that Michael Cera was starring in a movie adaptation of said graphic novel. I still had it, in the corner, gathering dust (because I'm awful about returning borrowed books), so I took a look. The long and the short of it is, after I finished volume one of Scott Pilgrim ('s Precious Little Life, to be exact.) I went out and bought all of the currently available volumes, and picked up the last one on its release date.
I also obsessively awaited the arrival of the movie.
Enough about all that nonsense... let's get on with the actual review nonsense.
Right, well... First, for those purists out there, the film does an exceptional job of keeping the bizarre, somewhat otherworldly feel of the comic. It shifts around events here and there, but all in all, I'd say that the changes are understandable, and without them, the movie would have been another few hours, not that I would have minded. It was a cinematic experience for me, on some very subconscious levels I didn't even know I had. (Bonus levels, perhaps?) Basically, the film was excitement. (Much like Gem is... Okay, I'm done with the parenthetical inserts, I promise.) The film, as just a film is wonderful. However, if you look at it as an adaptation it is missing one key element: Adulthood.
A big theme in the graphic novels is growing up. As Scott fights the evil exes, he gains insight into himself, occasionally facing off against the darker aspects of his personality (Nega-Scott). While Nega-Scott does appear in the film, his role is greatly diminished, and even ends up losing almost all of its meaning. Now, I'm not the type of person who feels that stories need to have meanings or themes, and I actually enjoyed both portrayals of Nega-Scott, but considering the themes were in the source material, they probably should have been worked into the film. Overall, this is my only complaint, and a minor one at that, because though it isn't as obvious as it is in the comics, we can still assume Scott's growing up due to a few key actions (such as the tactic he uses to defeat Gideon).
Next, onto the actors. I was amazed at how well everyone was cast. Michael Cera has been in many of my favorite movies/shows/what-have-you, but I was, like most fans, worried that Michael “Awkward” Cera wasn't going to be able to pull off Scott's not-infrequent oblivious hatefulness. Much to my surprise, Cera actually acted in this film, and was an incredible choice. Mary Elizabeth Winstead was also amazing as Ramona. Several others have referred to her as being too “cold” or some such thing, but I felt that this was the exact Ramona we would have gotten in the comics, had the events not been drawn out over such a great period of time. Keeping the shortened time-frame of the movie in mind, it only makes sense that Ramona would be almost completely shut-off emotionally within the story. The others were all casting perfection as well, including the (MINOR SPOILER) surprise appearance by Thomas Jane and Clifton Collins Jr as two very...interesting... characters. (END OF MINOR SPOILER)
Lastly, Edgar Wright did an absolutely fantastic job as director. Once I read a few volumes of “Scott Pilgrim”, I was instantly sold on the idea. “Spaced” is one of my all time favorite television shows (to the point that I watch it, in its entirety at least every few weeks), and to me, after reading “Scott Pilgrim”, I started seeing the “Spaced” characters as who the “Pilgrim” characters would become in adulthood. I was nearly brought to tears (hyperbole) by the decision to use an 8-bit Universal Logo and theme tune to open the film, and was, again, nearly brought to tears (not hyperbole) when the first “info box” appeared. Not only did Edgar Wright maintain the important aesthetics of the comic, but he also seemed to show an incredible talent for getting the very best out of his actors, in everything from expositional dialogue, to stunning fight sequences (especially impressive considering that the majority of the actors involved in the fight scenes had never really done anything even remotely similar.)
All in all, the film was wonderful. I'd give it a 9 out of 10 (there's nothing wrong with it, it's just 10 is “perfection”, which, to me, no movie has reached...)
I'll be popping in a few more quarters and hitting restart at least a few times on this one as I await the dvd release.
-Contrast,
Excelsior!