Scott Pilgrim vs. the World
(PG-13, Avail. 11/9)

I opened my review of "Kick-Ass" by saying that it was difficult to review, in part because it was so unlike anything I'd ever seen. Now "Kick-Ass" has a companion.

"Scott Pilgrim vs. the World" is nowhere near as profane (f-words are bleeped and accompanied by black bars in this movie), the violence is decidedly less brutal (the dead explode into coins), and it's less morally ambiguous. Still, this is one seriously ambitious and unique film aimed at a generation that grew up on video games.

Scott Pilgrim (Michael Cera) is a 22-year-old bass player for Toronto band Sex Bob-Omb. He has a gay roommate named Wallace (Kieran Culkin), and Scott is dating a 17-year-old girl named Knives Chau (Ellen Wong). In spite of his professed innocence ("We almost held hands once but then she got too embarrassed"), Scott's dating of Knives is met with judgment from everyone in his life, particularly his gossipy sister (Anna Kendrick). This doesn't stop him and Knives from enjoying their time together, playing interactive video games at the local arcade.

Despite his lack of money or potential for going anywhere with his band, Scott feels quite content...until he meets Ramona Flowers (Mary Elizabeth Winstead). Instantly smitten, Scott knows what he must do--order a package from Amazon (Ramona's employer) in hopes that she'll deliver it so that he may ask her out. He'll get around to breaking up with Knives eventually.

Scott's nerdiness and insecurity around Ramona actually wins her over, because she's glad to finally be dating a nice guy. What Scott quickly learns, though, is just how different he really is from Ramona's exes. When a battle of the bands is invaded by Matthew Patel (Satya Bhabha), the first of her "seven evil exes," Scott's commitment to Ramona is put to the test. Once Matthew is dispatched, Ramona explains that in order for them to continue dating Scott may have to "defeat" all seven.

From the Universal logo at the film's beginning, "Scott Pilgrim vs. the World" is a movie that aims to please video game nerds. Being one himself, Edgar Wright (2007 Bob Award Best Picture winner for "Hot Fuzz") is the perfect director for this. But you don't have to love video games to love this film. I know that because I'm not a video game nerd; my nerdiness was always invested more into movies and television. Wright wants all geeks to enjoy this movie and he most definitely succeeded.

Based on the graphic novels by Bryan Lee O'Malley, the screenplay by Wright and Michael Bacall is sharp and funny, with Wright's direction keeping the film on the fly. The appearance on the screen of words you would normally see flashing across video games doesn't end up being gimmicky, but feels perfectly natural.

The cast obviously knew exactly what Wright was after as well. Cera, doing what he does best, is an unconventional action hero to be sure, but that's just what this movie needs. Winstead doesn't try to make Ramona more likeable than she should be. She is likeable, but she's also maddening and we fully understand Scott's frustrations with her.

With his dry delivery, Culkin almost walks away with the movie and the rest of the cast provide wonderful touches throughout. Most notable are Ramona's exes, particularly Chris Evans, an absolutely hilarious Brandon Routh ("Superman Returns") as an ex with vegan powers and, playing the most evil ex of all, Jason Schwartzman.

"Scott Pilgrim vs. the World" is a must-see movie for geeks everywhere. What makes it a real achievement is what I realized near film's end. You know how, when you go to a friend's house and they're in the middle of a game that they're not ready to pause yet? You're starving and all you want to do is get to Taco Bell and it's a nice day outside on top of it. But you wait and wait and remember just how boring it is to watch someone else play a video game. For the first time in history, watching a video game you're not playing is an absolute blast. Well done, Edgar Wright. 9/10.