Style vs. substance. The standard among critics and academics (two groups I share a lifelong love-hate relationship with) is the worship of the latter with a nose turned upward at the former. In fact, I’m certain that I’m guilty of it myself somewhere in my archive of widely ignored commentary. Scott Pilgrim vs. The World is a movie that has forced me to admit that enough style can knock out the need for deeper, or even effective, storytelling. As the fourth most pretentious person on the planet, this is something of an achievement.

Scott Pilgrim is a movie with ADD. The emotional depth rivals a puddle; every theme could be covered in an elementary school book report. Thinly explained fights are ubiquitous, and Michael Cera still sucks. But it works.

The key to this is director/writer Edgar Wright’s dedication to preserving the fourth-wall steamrolling energy of Bryan Lee O’Malley’s source material. The comic bent format by building a world around the logic of video games and making indie rock bands the center of the universe. The director takes it a step further by keeping the comic book presentation in the transition to film. The result is one of the more visually appealing films of the decade thus far (without any cheap cuts to 3d).

I would even commit the minor heresy of saying that Wright handles the story (as much as there is) with a bit more dexterity than O’Malley. In my first touch upon this franchise, I commented on O’Malley drawing away from the comic’s key strengths with excess focus on relationship dynamics. Wright seems to be a bit more aware of the uneven balance in viewer importance between villains exploding in coins and Scott’s dull angst. After a slow first act, the film tilts into high gear.

The essentials of the storyline remain intact. A Canadian slacker with his name in the title meets Ramona Flowers, a girl further out of his league than the Olympics. To stay (alive) with seven evil ex-boyfriends (with one amusing exception to “boy”). The process casts a bit of doubt on the intelligence of the whole engagement, but the two are brought together through the healing power of violence. It’s a love story for the Double Dragon generation.

The film is stolen by Lucas Lee (Chris Evans). Not only does he give Cera the entertaining beating I’ve imagined since Year One, but each line drips with a hilarious self-assured swagger that brings back fine memories of Duke Nukem. I can’t help but wonder if the movie could have risen to the next level with Evans in front instead of the dullest member of the Bluth family. In fact, every performance save the male lead and the third evil-ex-miniboss is passable.

A point of contention among the peanut gallery has been whether or not Scott Pilgrim panders to hipster culture. My primary answer: a little bit. My secondary answer: who gives a shit? If an Arcade Fire t-shirt is all that it takes to sour your enjoyment of a popcorn flick, it may be time to turn your ire inward.

Best Feature:  Keep an eye out for “The Sword of Self-Respect”.
Worst Feature:  The Katayanagi twins get the shaft.
One sentence version:  Scott Pilgrim vs. The World is to the film world as the original is to the comic world.

8/14/2010
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