The World's End Review

The World's End

2.5 stars out of 4

By Brett Takeshita

With The World's End, we have (yet again!) another apocalypse/end of the world movie. Before you run off, be happy in knowing that The World's End is a fresh, funny, and wild take on the apocalypse that you really need to check out. It's packed to the brim with refreshing humor, entertaining action, and heartwarming messages -- yes, even with its premise of the world's demise.

Gary King (Simon Pegg) is that guy that you know from high school who never grew up. He is in his 40's, but he just likes to get drunk and party and do stupid, childish stuff. He decides to reunite with four of his estranged childhood friends. To do what, you may ask? To go bar hopping, of course! The group of five decides to make their rounds around 12 bars in their hometown, with the last bar being "The World's End." As teenagers, they previously attempted to drink at all 12 bars but couldn't finish. This time, Gary is determined that they will visit all of the bars and gain the title of being the only people to hit all of them in a limited amount of time. However, of course something goes amiss, and the group of friends realize that not only is their hometown different than from how they remembered it, but that their lives might also be at stake.

I don't want to give away the big reveal that happens in the middle of the movie. However, if you saw the trailer already, you know what happens. (The twist would've been way better if the trailer didn't partially spoil it). However, the film is still a blast because it's so zany and unpredictable. Edgar Wright and Simon Pegg have crafted a wildly original script that truly works. It seems like it would be a messy film since it is essentially a buddy-adventure film, a "coming-of-age" comedy (can you call it that when it's a childish adult becoming a man?), and a sci-fi action thriller mixed together. However, the film works together beautifully and cohesively. 

The reason why the film works is testament to Edgar Wright's direction. The humor is hilariously awkward, the action is zippy, and the deeper moments pertaining to the characters and their arcs are surprisingly poignant. It helps that The World's End features the spectacular production values that we've come to expect from the Three Flavours Cornetto trilogy (the other two films being Shaun of the Dead and Hot Fuzz)-- the beautiful cinematography, the gorgeous editing that actually lets us see all of the action clearly, and the impressive special effects and CGI. 

And just like the other "Cornetto" films, The World's End features a brilliant cast. Simon Pegg is tremendous here with his brilliant comedic timing. However, with this film, he gets to show a little bit more depth and heft. We get glimpses of his true talent with regards to drama. Pegg's chemistry with Nick Frost, who plays his former best friend, is off the charts. Frost, too, gets to show off his excellency. The rest of the ensemble cast is equally effective. And as the only female in this film, Rosamund Pike is fantastic, even if her character is a little underwritten.

Is The World's End the best Wright-Pegg-Frost collaboration? I don't think so. I feel that Shaun of the Dead is still superior because it's a funnier and more suspenseful film. The World's End has a few bars too many in its plot so that the first half of the film drags just a tad. Furthermore, the conclusion to this film felt very strange and unsatisfying to me. Still, this is a fine film that I truly enjoyed. If you are in the mood for something crazy, wacky, and fun, give this film a try.