Review: The World's End

Review: The World's End

From the multi-flavoured ice cream to the obligatory ill-fated fence jump, the quirk and charm of the movies thus far within the "Three Flavours Cornetto Trilogy" have always been heralded as two of the most quintessentially British comedies of all time.

As with all great things though, it hath reached its end. It's fitting really that after tackling such intense subjects as zombie viruses and police conspiracies in Shaun of the Dead and Hot Fuzz, the comic writing team of Simon Pegg, Nick Frost and director Edgar Wright have decided to end their trilogy in the most common of British cornerstones - the pub.

Inevitably though, comparisons with their previous endeavours will be drawn, so let's just get that little pint downed right now - put simply, The World's End is not as good as Shaun of the Dead or Hot Fuzz. When I say not as good, I mean that for a comedy, the laughs don't come quite as thick and fast this time around, instead allowing the script to delve deeper into the melancholy and nostalgia of the characters within.

Pegg plays Gary King, a once legendary high school heartthrob who is now stuck at the less than flattering end of his 40's. 20 years after attempting a failed legendary pub crawl in their home town of Newton Haven, he decides to get the gang back together and give it another shot, from The First Post to The World's End. As the reluctant friends attempt to reconcile their past and present, they soon discover that the struggle isn't actually to manage twelve pints each - it's dealing with some very unwelcome newcomers in their home town. Reaching The World's End might be the least of their worries.

For all its witty, flashy fun, The World's End plays out a little more like a deep character study rather than an out-and-out comedy. The predicament of friendship weighs down heavily on our central cast, noting the idea that just because you were friends in your teenage years doesn't mean you'll all share the same values and ideals when you've grown up, bagged yourself a job and a family. Pegg's character acts as our window to this situation, as he remains hopeful that after a few pints, they'll all resolve their differences and become best friends again.

He's backed of course by Pegg's long-time comrade Nick Frost, and for once the chemistry between them is much different and all the better for it: rather than simply have Gary King as the straight-faced hero for Frost's character to bounce off witlessly, Frost himself becomes the man with a plan. In fact, much of The World's End differs from the magic formula that the Cornetto Trilogy had utilized so far in terms of its pacing, and the number of running gags is dropped significantly (although one joke about "Starbucking" strikes a brilliantly funny chord).

To keep things light, we also have a trio of Britain's best: Paddy Considine, Eddie Marsan and Martin Freeman, all of whom spur the plot along nicely when it matters. There are even a few cameos from some very recognisable Hollywood heavyweights, but I'll say no more on that.

The first half hour does feel a little worrying though, with very little comedy or action moving anything along, but when things finally kick off it's a huge thrill ride. Edgar Wright hasn't lost the frantic directorial flair he developed with Scott Pilgrim vs. The World as comedy and action blend hilariously fast. One particularly brilliant scene sees Pegg desperately attempting to down a pint in the middle of an all-out bar brawl, several punches to the face rendering his mission a failure.

As for plotting, The World's End disappoints a little when compared to Shaun of the Dead and Hot Fuzz, with various twists and turns visible from miles away. Gary himself is such an unlikeable protagonist from time to time that it's very hard to feel sorry for him when required, and the film's climax is a little convoluted and aimless considering the hard work that's gone before.

At the end of the day though, it's not at all disappointing - it may be the most forgettable and different when compared to the rest of the bunch, but the dream team of Simon Pegg, Nick Frost and Edgar Wright have produced yet another winner, proving that the subtlety and wit of British comedy is still alive and well.

Summary

Not quite as original as Shaun of the Dead and certainly not as bombastic as Hot Fuzz, The World's End is more or less the least entertaining entry in the unofficial Cornetto Trilogy but that doesn't make it less than the height of British comedy. Simon Pegg, Nick Frost and the gang are on fine form, and director Edgar Wright makes up for a rocky opening half hour with some frantic and hilarious action sequences. What it lacks in a decent plot it makes up for with some clever satire and a very deep study into the characters and the struggles that they face both within and without their group. So it's with a heavy heart that we bid farewell to the Cornetto series, but it's been a fantastic, quintessentially British ride. D'you want anything from the shop?

8/10 - Great

See it if you liked: Shaun of the Dead (2004), Hot Fuzz (2007), This Is The End (2013)