Young or old, when it comes to fighting bad guys, if you do it long enough, your comic's eventually going to get turned into a movie.
Even if you're in a comic that not a lot of people have ever actually heard of... This is “Movie Night”!
*theme song plays*
Hello, and welcome to “Movie Night.” I'm your host, Jonathan Paula.
Tonight, we'll be taking a look at two comic book adaptations that recently made their way to DVD, the first of which is the critically acclaimed "Scott Pilgrim vs. the World."
When this fantasy action-comedy film starring Michael Cera in the lead role was originally released last August, it didn't do well enough to recoup its $60 million budget.
But perhaps owning to its already cult status, "Pilgrim" has done far better on home video, and for good reason- it's a fantastic film.
Told in inventive, twenty-first-century fashion, complete with hundreds of clever video game references, 22-year-old Scott Pilgrim is not just a nerdy local musician.
He's also dating high schooler Knives Chau, played by newcomer Ellen Wong, who does a rather terrific job...
bringing a tremendous amount of spark to her character in every scene she's in.
Things become complicated for Scott when he then falls in love with the hard-to-get Ramona Flowers, a mysterious girl with a complicated past...
played with a constant pout of unattainability on her face by Mary Elizabeth Winstead.
In order to win over Ramona as a girlfriend, Scott discovers he must do battle with each of her six ex-boyfriends...
as well as her one ex-girlfriend, from that one time she was bi-curious in college.
Luckily, he gets some moral support along the way from his gay roommate, Wallace Welles, played by Kieran Culkin in a scene-stealing role that never fails to entertain.
Cera doesn't do much to break from the awkward nerd he has once again been typecast as, but he does do enough to keep audiences rooting for him throughout his epic quest.
Scott's fight scenes against the evil exes are certainly the film's strongest aspect, incorporating surprisingly original special effects and on-screen graphics with live action.
The visual and audio elements blend together in a refreshingly imaginative way that positively captivates, like one scene where the second evil ex...
a movie star, is humorously introduced to the Universal Pictures theme music, cracking his neck in beat with the tune.
The inventive scene transitions themselves are worth the proverbial price of admission.
When not delighting with breathtaking action set pieces, the film delights with its fast-paced and witty dialogue that's peppered with dozens of pop-culture references.
But with any fantasy film, the core relationship between the characters is essential to making all of the glitz and glamour meaningful...
and, while "Scott Pilgrim vs. the World" doesn't fail here, it's unfortunately not up to par with the rest of the outstanding aspects of the movie.
The entire plot is Scott defying the limitations of conventional physics to be with his one true love, but sadly...
save for a single evening stroll through the snow early in the movie, Scott and Ramona don't really exhibit any meaningful chemistry together.
Rather, it's Scott's early scenes with Knives that really carry more weight.
It is a critical setback in an otherwise flawless film that absolutely entrances with its effects for the entire 112-minute runtime.
"Imaginative visuals, but lacking heart."
Well, now that you've heard my review, let's read some of yours in the YouTube comments.
Some overwhelmingly positive responses there, but let's not waste any more time, and bring in the Rate-o-Matic.
A “9” and a “10”! A fantastically original film that is easily one of 2010's best.
But the missing chemistry between the two leads prevented me from giving it the highest score possible. But I still thought it was “awesome.”
Overlooking that one minor flaw, you unanimously praised this film for its ingenuity, uniqueness, and the faithful adaptation of its source material, scoring it an “amazing.”
Now, let's take a look at tonight's second comic book-turned-film, “RED.”
An acronym standing for “Retired, Extremely Dangerous,” “RED” features an ensemble cast of Hollywood veterans as former CIA operatives...
who must unravel a conspiracy involving the highest levels of the American government, not only to clear their name, but also just to survive.
The film stars Bruce Willis as Frank Moses, an ex-black-ops CIA agent who is just trying to live out his retirement in peace.
And he's also trying to court Sarah Ross, played by the always-adorable Mary-Louise Parker, a customer service agent who handles Frank's pension fund.
When Frank is targeted by a hit-squad in the middle of the night, he is once again pulled into his former life of killing bad guys.
To help him defend himself, he gathers his former CIA friends, played by John Malkovich, Morgan Freeman, Helen Mirren, and Brian Cox...
all of whom do very little to bring their respective characters to life. And honestly, it feels like they're involved with this film more for the paycheck than anything else...
especially Freeman, who, despite receiving top billing, is only on screen for about 15 minutes.
Playing the roles of the bad guys, Karl Urban and Richard Dreyfuss bring a bit more character to the screen, but they are sadly just as forgettable as the uninspired plot they're stuck in.
As former operatives, the entire cast approaches each mundane gun fight and explosion with a disinterested, "been-there-done-that" kind of attitude...
and while this bad-ass attitude can certainly be an incredibly effective trait for an action protagonist...
it is handled so poorly here that it is almost impossible to be excited by anything on screen.
Even Sarah, a woman completely out of her element and being shot at, barely seems phased by the ridiculous events happening around her.
"RED" trudges along from scene to scene with not a thought to momentum or pacing...
only occasionally providing the viewer with a quick shoot-out that fails to advance the plot or affect the main characters in any way.
One scene, for example, has Helen Mirren opening fire on some bad guys in a hotel's basement kitchen.
Eventually, she's hit with a stray bullet and wounded, but it's obvious the injury isn't just insignificant but also completely inconsequential to the plot.
Although feeling a bit awkward at times, Frank and Sarah's relationship is really the only thing in this movie worth rooting for...
with some of their early scenes together being the highlight of the film.
Sadly, Sarah goes missing for nearly the entire second half of the film, as director Robert Schwentke seems to just forget about her.
There are a few moments here that might make you smile, but as an "action-comedy"...
RED” fails to faithfully deliver on either, with most of the movie feeling like a chore, rather than an adventure.
"Wasted potential, just plain boring."
That's what I thought about “RED.” Now, let's see what you had to say in the YouTube comments.
Well, some surprising reviews there, so let's bring in the Rate-o-Matic, to see how we both scored "RED."
A “4” and an “8”! A much stronger disagreement between us for this film.
And as I explained, it felt more like a boring waste of potential that didn't do much to justify its big-budget cast. I thought it was just “meh.”
You folks really seemed to enjoy it, though, being especially fond of the veteran cast, scoring it a “great.”
Well, that does it for tonight's films. So, now, let's take a look at what's currently playing in theaters, with some Tweet Critiques.
Remember, if you're going to the movies this weekend, make sure to submit your Twitter review, using the #JPMN hashtag, to have it featured on an upcoming episode.
Next week, in honor of Super Bowl XLV, we'll be taking a look at some classic football films...
1974's "The Longest Yard," starring Burt Reynolds, and 1998's "The Waterboy," starring Adam Sandler.
If you haven't already seen these films, I hope you get the chance to buy, rent, or download them before next week's episode...
and let me know what you think about them, by voting in the polls below, or by leaving me a comment review.
Once again, my name is Jonathan Paula. Thank you so much for watching “Movie Night.” I hope to see you right back here next Friday!
*end credits play*
*Click on episode #268 to see the first time Riley hosts with Jory as sidekick!*