Escape to the Movies: The World's End

[Broz]

Always assumed there was a reference to the trend for British Sci-fi movies of the fifties and early sixties to seem to all be set in pubs...

 

[dystopiaINC]

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.

Gary, oh poor Gary. right off that bat I felt immensely bad for him. and at first I couldn't place it.

Spoiler

I knew the factors that made me feel bad for him, but not how the fit together. His getting dressed in his tiny room alone, compared to the others successful lives, was a big part. The way everybody seems to reel back from him, the way they were almost always mad at him for the slightest shit. and then at the last pub it fit together (they did out it together for us but I was on the verge anyway). I just felt so bad for him, he's stuck in the past because that's to only time he was EVER HAPPY. life was great for him up until that point, and it all ended after that pub crawl. he tries to kill him self because nothing was going right anymore his glory day were over and he couldn't move on because he had nothing to move on to. he was left behind while the rest get on with their lives. The pub crawl and thus this movie was sparked by them taking the ONE thing he had left, his freedom, after his suicide attempt, that part where he wouldn't show his arms to save his life, choosing to hide the bandages and hospital tags, and when he finally did show them and told them how the forced him to SLEEP when they wanted. even the most basic freedoms we enjoy as we get older was taken from him. this movie really got to me. I'm not like Gary but I got him, and felt really bad for him.

 

[LordMonty]

Well you sold me... it wasn't hard but you sold me i'll see it within the week when i find the time.

 

[In Search of Username]

Excellent film. I love the way these 'cornetto' films start out so funny and charming and kind of descend into darkness and surrealism towards the end, and this one definitely got darker than either of the others. Even if it was probably a bit lighter on the laughs, still my favourite of the three.

Oh and that last little section at the end was just a great way to finish it.

 

[Kingbingo]

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.

Hmmmm, actually the opposite of true I'm afraid.

Yes we are trapped in the EU, but for over a decade every opinion poll has shown a clear majority in favour of leaving the EU and that on balance we DON'T benefit from it. This is a fact, look up the polls for yourself.

In addition alongside Germany we are the only other net contributor to the EU budget, so by very definition we put more in than we get out.

Furthermore in the video bob mentions a rage against conformity. But if your raging against conformity you would rage against the EU, all it does is impose conformity on its subjects regardless of whether they agree or not.

 

[Atmos Duality]

The World's End is a lot more introspective than Hot Fuzz and less heavy handed in places than Shaun of the Dead.
But it's a great film and has far more to say than a lot of films out today; including the current Oscar bait.

I thought the movie was definitely up there with Shaun of the Dead and Hot Fuzz (the latter of which being in my Top 5 favorite movies of all time), right up until the end, where they kind of lost me at...

Spoiler

Trying to cram in a racism/immigration message right at the end, with the native humans discriminating against the alien-created doppelgangers once their existence became known.

One can certainly interpret it that way, but I took it as the payoff for a setup WAAAAAYYY earlier in the film.

Spoiler: Ending Spoilers

When Andy is talking about how it takes more balls to go into a bar and order water than beer and booze.

More importantly, Gary King got what he wanted in a way, which is living/reliving his unrealistic dream where he's palling around with his old crew again. Even if it isn't completely real, as he isn't with his old crew, but the replica 'blankies'. (notice how he grew his hair out longer and shaved, more closely resembling his younger self.)

That's how I took the ending.
Racism/Immigration was, curiously, the last thing on my mind at that point.

 

[MonkeyPunch]

I pretty much like all of Pegg's movies. Definitely going to watch this then
Also - Pegg as Ant Man would indeed rock!

 

[Gecko clown]

I haven't read up on the people involved, so why is Paul not counted as one of their movies?

Shaun, Hot Fuzz and The World's End are written by Simon Pegg and Edgar Wright and directed by the latter. Paul had a different director and written by Pegg and Frost.

 

[Tireseas_v1legacy]

The entirety of all recommendations for this movie: did you like Shawn of the Dead and/or Hot Fuzz? Then you'll like this movie...

I adored those films. I've loved these guys since the days of Spaced.

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.

Having now watched it myself, I didn't quite take such a negative turn with it, but I definitely understand the sentiment. The opening (which is quite long) pretty much starts in a very bleak place and let's you know that something is seriously wrong with King, although exactly what that is actually takes the majority of the movie to get to. Additionally, the ending, which I am not going to spoil here, comes so way out of left field that you kind of wondering how the hell we got there (although it does serve a purpose, make no mistake). Indeed, I gauged audience reaction at times throughout the movie and noticed about a 50/50 split between horrified revulsion and semi-reluctant laughter.

While I would put it as the weakest of the three (Hot Fuzz was my favorite by far), I still enjoyed it, partially out of a twisted "how are they going to fuck up next?" at about the halfway point.

 

[Extragorey]

Given that I see Hot Fuzz as a sort of pinnacle of comedic entertainment, I doubt this one will live up to the standard.
But at least it sounds like it'll be somewhat decent.

 

[Purple Dragon]

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.

Hmmmm, actually the opposite of true I'm afraid.

Yes we are trapped in the EU, but for over a decade every opinion poll has shown a clear majority in favour of leaving the EU and that on balance we DON'T benefit from it. This is a fact, look up the polls for yourself.

In addition alongside Germany we are the only other net contributor to the EU budget, so by very definition we put more in than we get out.

Furthermore in the video bob mentions a rage against conformity. But if your raging against conformity you would rage against the EU, all it does is impose conformity on its subjects regardless of whether they agree or not.

Sorry for the belated reply I was in Turkey with no internet but here it is. I'm not going to argue that we benefit from the subsidies because we probably don't and I do not support them (the Common Agricultural Policy for example needs drastic reform). However I will examine what would occur if we were to leave. One we would not be able to maintain the free trade privileges we currently enjoy, do not think we could retain them, pissed off countries such as France would likely make the EU place punitive restrictions on our businesses (because politics is vindictive like that)as Europe is our biggest market this would hit us hard. Two we exert an influence in the EU that prevents our national interests being threatened, take for example the financial transactions tax which is being blocked essentially entirely due to our efforts. If it were to pass it would damage our banking sector which is heavily involved in banking in EU countries. While the transactions in the UK would not be taxed our dealings in EU countries would be damaged damaging our economy. By being an EU member (and one of the Big Three at that) means we can block this. Finally our influence means we can lend major support to Germany and other EU countries which wish to put in place austerity measures (generally opposed by France and Italy) we are powerful enough to tip the balance in Germany's favour. This benefits us as a credible austerity programme in debt racked countries helps keep the Euro from exploding which would wreck many Euro based economies. This would also further damage our economy (already likely hit by restrictions and new taxes on UK products) as combined they make our biggest market so their implosion would affect us.

As for opinion polls my suspicion is we may chicken out of pulling out as the referendum looms but we shall see. Finally I'm not going to defend EU regulations as may are daft (although some I support).

 

[soren7550]

"This might be the best acting Pegg has ever done. You know going in that Gary is going to be funny, but the main reason is the underlying tragedy of the character is so apparent so early is because he sells the role."

No, it's because they just show it within the first few minutes. You know he's been committed in a psych ward because while in group, you see that everyone doesn't have any shoelaces (they take them away so that you can't strangle yourself/someone else with them, although if they're particularly dickish they'll just take your shoes altogether), and you see several people wearing the hospital wristbands.

And that's something that really bothered me about the film. You see his room in the hospital, and it's full of personal effects (you can't have any in a psych ward because of theft and you can use them as a weapon), and the fact that he just... leaves. The only way you can do that is if you had yourself committed (which he clearly didn't), and only if it's for a reason that would not result in harm to yourself/others, then you can have yourself discharged. Otherwise, it's up to the hospital/someone who has legal rights over you to have you released, and that's only if there's someone on the outside who'd sign some forms saying that they'll help take care of you, which the film made apparent that there wasn't anyone like that for Gary.

While they made sure to get that one small detail right (no shoelaces), they just mucked up the rest of their details on the psych ward.


And yeah, this was easily the weakest of the three films.