Apocalypse films
have riddled our cinemas in the last decade, but in a surprising turn of events
some of the most successful of this summer have been comedies. This is the End was as Hollywood as
possible, while the somewhat similarly titled The World’s End is the final film in the extremely popular British
films directed by Edgar Wright. The
World’s End is the final film in the Cornetto Trilogy (also known as the
‘Blood and Ice Cream’ Trilogy), which began with Shaun of the Dead and Hot Fuzz.
Keeping true to
the themes of male friendship paired with a melancholy about youth lost, The
World’s End is a fitting end to the trilogy. Simon Pegg serves as our narrator,
and the film’s most volatile and unpredictable character, Gary King. Struggling
to adjust to the idea of being an adult as he reaches middle-age, King
convinces his former cohorts of youth (Nick Frost, Martin Freeman, Eddie Marsan
and Paddy Considine) for a return visit down memory lane. They attempt a pub
crawl 20 years after they failed it the first time, and somehow become
entangled in a robotic overtaking of sorts.
The ways in
which these three films interact with each other is worth investigating, and I
could spend this entire review remarking on the clever connections. All three
star Simon Pegg and Nick Frost, whose friendship is central to each narrative. Shaun of the Dead and The World’s End both imagine an
apocalypse which must be survived by an adult male protagonist living an
irresponsibly youthful existence. Both Hot
Fuzz and The World’s End involve
a small-town conspiracy uncovered by an outsider. There are many connections
between the three, but they all also stand on their own.
At the same time, it seems as though
the criticisms given to Hot Fuzz were
taken into consideration while making The
World’s End, though it may not have been for the best. While Hot Fuzz seemed slow starting, The World’s End may show its hand too
early. Or perhaps these actors and the dialogue is just far more interesting
than any way the robotic invasion can be elevated.
The Blu-ray
combo pack comes with a DVD and a digital copy in HD Ultraviolet. Exclusive to
the Blu-ray is over an hour of material built into the U-Control feature. There
is picture-in-picture storyboards, a trivia track, deleted scenes and outtakes,
tips for signs and omens within the film, additional commentaries, featurettes
and more. The DVD also has a more generic making-of featurette, which is also
included on the Blu-ray, along with a main commentary featuring Edgar Wright
and Simon Pegg.
Entertainment Value:
8/10
Quality of
Filmmaking: 7.5/10
Historical
Significance: 6/10
Disc Features: 8/10
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