MovieChat Forums > Scott Pilgrim vs. the World (2010) Discussion > why this film does not work

why this film does not work

posted 11 years ago by crakatoot
25 replies | jump to latest

Because ( in my opinion, some people get hysterical if you don't say that) lets forget how underwhelming the two leads are, or the nauseating level of hipsterness, which could be forgiven cause it is a cool looking movie and it was a different idea, but it was to far removed from any reality or any sort of consequence. in movies, no matter how fantastic the setting there still has to be some kind of rule. Some kind of logic, some way that can ground it in reality. Like look at Who Framed Roger Rabbit, a fantasy film with a lot of crazy cartoon elements but early on they establish that cartoon characters can be killed. They can survive anvils landing on them but that dip stuff Christopher Lloyd had, that could kill them. So we know despite all the crazy elements Roger or Jessica can still be killed, that gives the movie stakes. Which this movie totally lacks, despite all the crazy *beep* Scott goes through he never really gets hurt. Cause of this the fights look good but there not very compelling. plus a lot of other things, Scott replaying the final fight, the computer chip she has in her head, which may or may not be real, I'm not sure. just to much stuff like that, that takes you out of the movie.

i told you not to stop the boat. Now lets go. Apocaylpse Now

[–] tbradydvm 10 years ago

It was a metaphor for relationships using video games. In video games the main characters are immortal. They take unrealistic levels of damage and even when they "die", they come back (otherwise you'd never be able to finish a game). The extra life, the computer chip and all that are part and parcel of the style of the movie which was not "cartoon" but "video game". Also, Scott was fighting to stay in the relationship so the battles were never for his "mortal" life. Nonetheless, we were shown that Scott's character can "die". Death is being consigned to that dreary landscape forever, which is what would have happened if he hadn't picked up an extra life so we were shown the stakes.

I felt they could have figured out a more clever way to synch Ramona's character with the metaphor than the chip but it wasn't a terrible choice. I think you sort of missed the point.

[–] crakatoot 10 years ago

I got it. It didn't do it for me

[–] Jean-Baptiste-Grenuille 10 years ago

Finally someone said it!
I felt like nobody got that this whole movie was a huge metaphor!
I saw it instantly - of course a guy like Scott would dream to defeat his girlfriend's exes through epic battles that he has in the video-games! Of course, the chip was a way to show how "he gets into her head" - and it was genius! And it's something that many people might even have lived through... Not being able to forget a guy that ignores you, or wishing to have a battle with your love's baggage and free her of it? (and yourself).

[–] MoviemanCin 10 years ago

I couldn't agree less. This movie is fresh, funny, different, and well written. In short this movie ROCKS!

Schrodinger's cat walks into a bar, or doesn't.

[–] 9 years ago

[deleted]

[–] willhaskew 9 years ago

Scott Pilgrim's Kryptonite is the fact that he treats people like crap. Knives Chau and Kim Pine are just a few them. Ramona acts the same way and may even be worse. Ramona is supposed to be Scott's dream girl and according to the movie they're in love but she seems so bored that she could hardly care less. Ramona and Scott are first-class jerks.

[–] Sturm_Liouville 9 years ago

Na, it works...i loved it

[–] wooody 9 years ago

I respectfully disagree. This film was so creative in so many ways. I loved this movie, the acting, creative effects not to mention the music.

Sorry but for me it worked! I'm just worried about Michael Cera's career. I haven't seen him in anything for awhile,

[–] [deleted] 2 years ago

The film does work.

[–] Ace_Spade (9658) 8 months ago

I think it does work, and here's why...

You state, oh dead account who will likely never read this, that Scott is basically invulnerable. The lack of logic means a lack of stakes to the fights. That's true. But the fights are fun. They're the cherry on top - the filler - not the main point.

The real meat here is that Scott's biggest battle is against himself. You rightly point out that the uber-hipster jerkass isn't a loveable guy. Of course not - that's what he's fixing over the course of the film. The final fight isn't about him besting A/V roadie ninjas, it's about him coming to grips with how he's treated the people in his life - especially his romantic interests. His lack of self-awareness and accountability literally get him killed. Only when he nuts up and owns up does he emerge victorious. The "rules" of the universe aren't about hitting harder or running faster or some arcane magic system governed by fighting game button combos. No, the rules are, "If you don't learn anything, you can't win." It's about personal growth, not fists, feet, samurai swords, and mystical psychic vegan powers.