Escape to the Movies: The World's End
- Thread starter MovieBob
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I loved this film, although it came out in Australia ages ago. Frankly, I felt it was the best of the Simon Pegg/Nick Frost/Edgar Wright collaborations. Certainly the best bit of acting Pegg has ever done. The ability of the film to strike a balance between comedy and genuine, devastating emotion was pretty phenomenal.
Star Trek had like 10 episodes with some alien intelligence offering peace in return for free will, which Kirk ends up adamantly opposing. Not to mention most of Cold War era Sci Fi (body snatchers being a big one), it was largely analogous to the idealism and lack of individualism assosciated with Communism.
Whist I accept Bob's review of this as pretty much right. I take a little more um-bridge with his assertion that Hot Fuzz played broader strokes. With Wright shooting in his home 'city' (always use that term loosely with Wells) and Pegg being Gloucestershire man there is something distinctly Westcountry about it. Whilst it may be little more accessible there are entire parts of that movie you certainly won't quite understand where it's coming from unless your from these parts.
Also never saw the EU message in there I doubt anyone in Britain really did and more of anger against the lack of individuality in todays morden society. How everyone must look 'perfect' remembering the replacements are not replacement but the same person conforming. But also how by being more interconnected we are growing further apart and distant from the world.
The ending is the rejection of that society in possibly the greatest drunken argument ever.
Also never saw the EU message in there I doubt anyone in Britain really did and more of anger against the lack of individuality in todays morden society. How everyone must look 'perfect' remembering the replacements are not replacement but the same person conforming. But also how by being more interconnected we are growing further apart and distant from the world.
The ending is the rejection of that society in possibly the greatest drunken argument ever.
As a Brit I have to concur with what others have said about the possible EU message of the film; it isn't in there. It does reference the homogenisation of England though, which is largely seen as part of the ever encroaching American influence over the country, tied in with globalisation and neo-liberal capitalism.
Turning to the film itself, my viewing of it probably suffered for a few particular reasons. I had literally just watched both Shaun of the Dead and Hot Fuzz, back to back, in the same screen where I saw The World's End. It was a triple bill showing of all three starting at about 4:30pm. Considering I had been on a massive pub crawl myself the night before, ending with my suddenly becoming aware that I was walking through Brighton, alone, and that it had gotten light at some point, sitting in a dark room for the best part of 6 hours was exactly what I needed.
TWE defintely bears for a second viewing; it's not as funny as SOTD or HF, but it has its moments and it's a good send off to the trilogy.
Turning to the film itself, my viewing of it probably suffered for a few particular reasons. I had literally just watched both Shaun of the Dead and Hot Fuzz, back to back, in the same screen where I saw The World's End. It was a triple bill showing of all three starting at about 4:30pm. Considering I had been on a massive pub crawl myself the night before, ending with my suddenly becoming aware that I was walking through Brighton, alone, and that it had gotten light at some point, sitting in a dark room for the best part of 6 hours was exactly what I needed.
TWE defintely bears for a second viewing; it's not as funny as SOTD or HF, but it has its moments and it's a good send off to the trilogy.
Ending spoiler talk.Geo Da Sponge said:
I agree, the great thing about the ending of TWE was that the main character's design to refuse The Network wasn't some grander plan to save all life and being portrayed as a difficult solution to a difficult problem, it was just some random drunk arsehole who was established as being too stubborn to reason with, even when he's wrong. And they don't ever suggest Gary made the right decision, seeing as he inadvertently altered the fabric of society to accomodate for his own damaged mind. Seeing as there was a clear suggestion he was bipolar or whatever caused him to slit his wrists.
Oh I got you were on about the acting, I just felt it worked in context, though to be fair we were pinted up ourselves when we watched so I was less scrupulous than normal. Though I still feel Pegg and Frost gave great performances. But if you didn't like it, you didn't like it, so I guess I'll leave it at thatluvd1 said:
In regards to the very ending
I think it was just a silly aside, set up for sole purpose of the 5 musketeers shtick, though I'm guessing from what happened to the town, there were big fuck off explosions, shown by Frost sitting in some ruins and the state of the world in general, plus the central intelligence stated that they'd had some 2000 places under control. You're right if it was an EMP of some description we wouldn't just zoom back to the dark ages. They didn't really show /enough/ of the after math to really show how bad off we were.
Could be worse, there's that show "Revolution" where the premise is "electricity stopped working one day". A show guaranteed to piss off anyone that did any degree of science. Or the Emberverse series, where it extends to fucking steam power, combustion engines and guns not functioning suddenly as well.
Could be worse, there's that show "Revolution" where the premise is "electricity stopped working one day". A show guaranteed to piss off anyone that did any degree of science. Or the Emberverse series, where it extends to fucking steam power, combustion engines and guns not functioning suddenly as well.
I did find it amusing however, that after the film finished, I stood up, demanded to my mates that we go to the pub, only to realise I was wearing almost the exact same outfit as Peggs character in the film.
I've got to agree with some other replies. The film may have been the weakest in the trilogy, but it's still a fantastic film. Anyone who saw the entire trilogy in one sitting likely has a lower opinion on the film than it's worth and owe it a revisit (myself included). The ending was a bit of a curveball, but I find that happened with every film in the trilogy (each film has a huge tone shift towards the end where the action/comedy is broken up by serious exposition). The message at the end was clear from Gary and it works on two levels.
It works on one level because out of all the people who had to defend the human race's right to be individual, he HAD to be the one. He was the most stubborn amongst the gang and had a lifestyle to validate.
On the other level, we view Gary with a sort of sadness. We see him as something different to the mundane office style job worker that at least Frost's character is (and most of the others are, actually). There's a rift between us and Gary. When we see Gary's drunken rant it's supposed to seem hammy and over the top and maybe we're not supposed to be cheering him on 100%. That rift shows there's room for individualism and there's nothing wrong with being a bit more Gary, though society may tell us otherwise.
It works on one level because out of all the people who had to defend the human race's right to be individual, he HAD to be the one. He was the most stubborn amongst the gang and had a lifestyle to validate.
On the other level, we view Gary with a sort of sadness. We see him as something different to the mundane office style job worker that at least Frost's character is (and most of the others are, actually). There's a rift between us and Gary. When we see Gary's drunken rant it's supposed to seem hammy and over the top and maybe we're not supposed to be cheering him on 100%. That rift shows there's room for individualism and there's nothing wrong with being a bit more Gary, though society may tell us otherwise.
Oh don't get me started on that show... My head hurts just by the pitch of the thing.elvor0 said:luvd1 said:
Oh I got you were on about the acting, I just felt it worked in context, though to be fair we were pinted up ourselves when we watched so I was less scrupulous than normal. Though I still feel Pegg and Frost gave great performances. But if you didn't like it, you didn't like it, so I guess I'll leave it at that
In regards to the very endingI think it was just a silly aside, set up for sole purpose of the 5 musketeers shtick, though I'm guessing from what happened to the town, there were big fuck off explosions, shown by Frost sitting in some ruins and the state of the world in general, plus the central intelligence stated that they'd had some 2000 places under control. You're right if it was an EMP of some description we wouldn't just zoom back to the dark ages. They didn't really show /enough/ of the after math to really show how bad off we were.
Could be worse, there's that show "Revolution" where the premise is "electricity stopped working one day". A show guaranteed to piss off anyone that did any degree of science. Or the Emberverse series, where it extends to fucking steam power, combustion engines and guns not functioning suddenly as well.
I did find it amusing however, that after the film finished, I stood up, demanded to my mates that we go to the pub, only to realise I was wearing almost the exact same outfit as Peggs character in the film.
I think the thing that was pulling me out of the film was oddly paddy considine and Eddie marsan, which saddens me. Two brillient actors but they just didn't seem as fleshed out as Simons, Nick or Martins. Eddies performance reminded me of the villan he played in will smiths Hancock. A none entity. Their characters just didn't seem that needed.
When Eddie's character was caught I was unmoved. I just didn't care. Same for paddy when he turned up at the end I was supriced coz I had forgotten he wasn't killed.... In fact now I think about it, the film picked up for me when it was just nick and Simon on screen
You know, I must of not been in the right mood for the film. In fact I think I'll see it again. I'm not afraid to challenge my own opinions.
No, the other town it was filmed in, Letchworth, though they do cut between the two. More amusing that they made a film a bout a pub crawl here as until 15 years ago it was a dry town and there are only 3 pubs here. They had to use the cinema for the night club.SirBryghtside said:Haha, I went to school there (assuming you mean Welwyn) - one of the warpiest parts of the film was when they went to the Tonic and it was completely different insideSaioon said:
Nice, I'll go and see it then. I liked the previous two, I think Hot Fuzz was my favourite, since I live in a place like that small town.
Also, I'm not sure that there's many people angry at us not fully joining the EU.
Also, I'm not sure that there's many people angry at us not fully joining the EU.
I adored those films. I've loved these guys since the days of Spaced.The Gentleman said:
And I hated this movie.
It wasn't funny, it had no charm or spark, it just felt like an excuse for some wacky robot fighting hi-jinks with a rushed message about aging tacked on.
Rarely have I been so disappointed by a movie as I was by The World's End.
Just one thing the UK is part of the EU and most people agree we overall benefit from it, we just aren't as committed to it as Germany or France.