Lying isolated and vulnerable, amidst a sea of soulless studio-mandated filmic product (“Shrek Forever After” and “Prince of Persia” spring immediately to mind), “Scott Pilgrim vs. the World” feels very much like an X-factor in regards to this season’s box-office.
It has a rapidly rising, quirky director (Edgar Wright) attached, geek-friendly source material and an eye-catching trailer that had many online movie-fans, including IJM’s own H.G. Watson, doing veritable cartwheels and awkward high-fives.
However, on the flip side, that same trailer hasn’t exactly proven to play like gangbusters for many of the “normies” out there. I’ve seen it multiple times in theatres and each time it’s been met with grim silence, muttered abuse and annoyed cries of “What the hell was that?!” From what I’ve read and heard from other film-goers well outside my vicinity, these haven’t been isolated incidents (as much as I hate citing anecdotal evidence, it’s all we really have to go on at the moment.) The flick’s also going to have to weather the shaky central presence of its star, Michael Cera, who seems to have reached the height of backlash, and find a means of drawing in mainstream female viewers, as they will likely make a crucial difference in whether “Scott Pilgrim” disappoints or thrives. Either way, it’s going to be a really interesting picture to track.
Recently it was leaked that Wright and his cast would be reconvening for re-shoots, which can often — not always, though! — signal trouble afoot behind-the scenes.
However, Wright, in an email to CHUD attempted to dispel any concerns:
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“To be honest — I’m excited about it, we have material from Vol. 6 (of the recently published graphic novel series) that is impossible to resist and so even after nearly a year of editing — it’s going to be fun to put some icing on the cake. We are not even redoing one full scene, just some bits and bobs and new jokes and beats that I wrote with (co-writer) Bacall & (“Pilgrim” creator) O’Malley.”
He also made it crystal clear that he underwent similar creative circumstances with “Hot Fuzz” and “Shaun of the Dead,” adding in gags and new ideas well after shooting had ceased.
Damn, you really can’t argue with a winning formula, can you?
As a fan of his first two major motion-picture offerings, along with deliriously deranged “Grindhouse” trailer for “Don’t,” I’m intrigued to see what “Scott Pilgrim vs. the World” has in store for us. While I must confess that I wasn’t overly thrilled with the trailer, which looked like a flashy, in-your-face hipster wet-dream, my trust in Wright being an important talent to watch pretty much means that I’ll be attending the flick on opening weekend. I wonder how many others will join me.
How do you guys feel about “Scott Pilgrim vs. the World”? Is it on your must-see list for late summer? How has the hyperactive trailer affected your perception of the film? Bounce on over to our forums or comment section and let us hear your powered-up thoughts.
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Follow Cam Smith on Twitter at http://twitter.com/camspcepisodes.
I think Edgar Wright is brilliant so I will definitely be seeing “Scott Pilgrim” opening weekend. I’m not too concerned about the reshoots. I read somewhere it’s only for three days which is nothing. I also read a quote from Wright about how the scene in “Hot Fuzz” where Simon Pegg kicks the grandmother in the face was a pickup shoot, so hopefully the extra shooting will only make it better!