Scott Pilgrim Vs The World
Blu-ray | DVD
Directed by Edgar Wright
Starring Michael Cera, Mary Elizabeth Winstead, Kieran Culkin, Chris Evans
Universal Studios Home Entertainment
Release date: November 9, 2010

The lack of success that Scott Pilgrim Vs the World met at the box office shouldn’t be a surprise to anyone, and it has nothing to do with the quality of the movie. It’s not shocking that the studio couldn’t find a good way to advertise the movie, and it may just be that there was always going to be a small audience for this film. However, this is a film that should not be measured by its box office receipt. It is one of my favorite movies of the year and it is a joy for me to watch every time I see it. So now that Scott Pilgrim Vs the World is out on DVD and Blu-ray, I certainly hope that the film discovers the audience it deserves. Not that I gain anything from it doing well, but I feel that this is a very good film that is a lot of fun, has some fantastic music, and some great performances.

Now granted, I am the target market for this Scott Pilgrim Vs the World. I am a fan of the comic book series by Bryan Lee O’Malley, and I am also a fan of director Edgar Wright (Shaun of the Dead, Hot Fuzz). I was very excited when I heard that Wright was going to direct it, as I knew he was a comic book fan and had a great voice for directing comedy and tragedy.

Also, a lot of the people I’ve talked to about this movie are also fans of the book and the director, so of course they enjoyed it as well. So it’s easy for me to say that I enjoyed this movie, but it’s harder for me to say if others will like it. My heart says that this is a film for everyone, but I just don’t know for sure. It is a very unique film, especially when it comes to the visuals. Wright has created a movie that looks like nothing else, there are moments when it looks like a video game come to life, and then there are times when its comic book roots take over. Then there are the simple emotional moments that serve as the counterpoint to the more outlandish moments, and it is these quieter moments that make the movie work. It is an amazing step forward in Edgar Wright’s evolution as a director.

The performances in this film are yet another element that set it above and beyond other comic book or video game movies. Ellen Wong is the real stand out among them all. Her performance as Knives Chau brings out a lot of humor of the character, as well as the great moments of heartache. Even more than that, she brings a level of excitement to the film that no one else does. Most of the other characters play their roles very subdued, but Wong is a ball of energy that jumps off the screen. The other standout is Kieran Culkin as Wallace Wells, Scott’s cool gay roommate. Culkin steals any scene that he appears in and could almost carry the movie on its own. The side characters each add important moments to the film. Strangely, I have the least to say about the lead roles as played by Michael Cera and Mary Elizabeth Winstead. I’d almost say that the film works in spite of their performances. Winstead is fairly generic as Ramona Flowers, and Michael Cera doesn’t do enough for me to make this stand out from any of his other performances. They each get enough good moments to make the film work though. Really, it’s all the actors around the leads that make this movie so memorable.

Special Features

The film transfer looks great on Blu-ray, and any kind of extra you can think of is on this Blu-ray set. It’s great to finally be able to pause the movie at any time and really pay attention to little things that are going on in the background, or just the way that Wright films the fight scenes. The Blu-ray combo pack comes also with the DVD and digital copy. The extras add tons of replay value to the disc. There are multiple feature-length commentary tracks, a host of documentaries and behind the scenes featurettes, and tons of odds and ends, like bloopers. The deleted scenes include an alternate ending which some viewers may be more satisfied with than the ending that the film goes with. You also get the “Scott Pilgrim Vs the Animation” short that was shown on TV. If that’s not all, you get music videos and a great look at the music that makes up such a big part of the movie. All in all, there is a lot on this disc to watch beyond the movie, and fans of the film will be very satisfied with all the extras.

For all of you who didn’t go to see it in theaters, and that was a lot of you, buy this movie now. Between the movie itself, and all the extras included on the disc, this is an easy 5 out of 5. This is easily one of the best movies of the year, and anyone reading this site is going to find something to enjoy about in it.