The World's End (Film Review)

THE WORLD’S END

A Film Review

By Daniel Skye

Now I must admit, I’m one of the few guys who love horror movies that didn’t really dig Shaun of the Dead. And as far as Hot Fuzz goes, I can take it or leave it. The last time I saw Simon Pegg and Nick Frost, I was sitting in the theaters with an ex-girlfriend of mine watching a film called Paul.

Due to poor promotion, I had no knowledge of Paul until we showed up at the theater that night and saw that it was playing. Since the movie we wanted to see was predictably sold out, I let my ex make the call and she chose Paul.

Now Paul was an enjoyable experience for me. I honestly enjoyed it more than any of Edgar Wright’s previous efforts (granted he didn’t direct, he only worked on the script). So when I heard about the film The World’s End (another film that slipped under my radar for a while due to poor promotion), I figured I’d give it a chance. Well, I’m here to say that I’m glad I did.

Five guys. Twelve pubs. Twelve pints.

Four buddies reluctantly reunite at the behest of their friend, Gary (Simon Pegg) to take part in the ultimate pub crawl that they failed to complete during their glory days of drinking.

Gary is an alcoholic who hasn’t changed a bit since his high school days. He once sold his friends guitar for drugs and is still driving around in a car that’s been registered to one of his friends since 1989. Needless to say, the old gang isn’t too pleased to see Gary when he returns to bring the band back together for one more rowdy night of drinking.

They all have good jobs, good homes, wives and families; something Gary obviously cannot relate to. But with a lot of badgering and persuading, his friends agree to tag along.

Andy (Nick Frost), Steven (Paddy Considine), Oliver (Martin Freeman), and Peter (Eddie Marsan) are clearly frustrated with Gary’s juvenile antics, but they also seem to except the fact that some things never change.

Just as they’re all about to go their separate ways, a freakish altercation that takes place in the men’s room of one of the pubs forces them to stick together and fight for their lives.

Turns out, the folks in their old town have been replaced by alien androids (think The Stepford Wives). If they want to make it to the World’s End (the final pub on their map), they’ll have to survive the night first.

Sam (Rosamund Pike) crosses path with the group and is first informed of the invasion by Gary. Naturally, she doesn’t believe him in his drunken state and remains unconvinced until she sees it with her own two eyes.

Joining the group, they continue to hop from bar to bar in an attempt to blend in and remain inconspicuous. A lot of good that does them…

Nick Frost and Simon Pegg are spot on in their roles and provide plenty of laughs, as do the supporting cast. I wish I could say more about the supporting actors, but this was my first time seeing most of them aside from Rosamund Pike.

Pierce Brosnon does pop up for a brief but entertaining cameo, but with all due respect to Mr. Brosnon, anyone could have easily filled that small role.

This film all depends on your comedic preferences, but a lot of the dialogue had me in stitches and I was thoroughly entertained from start to finish.

     On a scale of one to ten, I award the World’s End a seven and a half.