Yes? Yes.
Watched: The World’s End
It’s a while since I’ve watched a film that was, uncomplicatedly, a joy to watch; The World’s End satisfies that. Even though there are beats that echo Shaun of the Dead and Hot Fuzz, there are fewer comedic beats in this one; putting Simon Pegg as a less palatable protagonist contributes to that effect, as does having a plot that requires some fairly heavy exposition.
All that said, every scene in this film was excellent. The fight scenes were some of the best examples of choreography I’ve seen in a long time; there was a who’s-who of British TV actors throughout; a couple of actors popped up that I did not expect, and it went to some seriously dark places without fucking up.
I am nothing like Gary King, but the sense of reclaiming your youth to escape the present is something that holds a lot of appeal - right now, I’m writing a book and living with my parents in part because they’re easier to deal with than finding a career and dealing with the pressures of adult life. The resolution by the end is far from simple, either; Gary finds his calling, but it’s a curious one at the very least.
The escalation at the end could have slowed down a little - it was fun to watch, but if I can level any criticism against Edgar Wright it’s that he rarely lets up to allow for emotional resonance. That said, I never found myself checking my watch throughout this film, so he was doing something right.