Simon Pegg, Nick Frost, and Edgar Wright have made going to the movies fun again. Shaun of the Dead, the first of the Cornetto trilogy, succeeded in successfully handling a horror/comedy zombie flick while simultaneously paying homage to an array of horror classics.
Wright, Pegg, and Frost took the appreciation they had for action films and found success again in the second film, Hot Fuzz. The last film of the trilogy, The World’s End, released in theaters last week and it’s safe to say the three friends have found success again.
Seeing the entire trilogy in theaters was a real treat. Shaun of the Dead and Hot Fuzz are two of my favorite movies and seeing them with an equally enthusiastic audience really made the experience. It also allowed me to pick up on subtle jokes that span all three films that do not take place in the same universe. The style that slowly gains more and more backbone with each film is fun to watch evolve.
Simon Pegg plays Gary, an unapologetic drug addict and alcoholic who can’t seem to stop living in the past. On the night of his high school graduation, Gary and four friends embarked on a bar crawl in their hometown which stretches across twelve bars until reaching “The World’s End”, the last bar in line.
The five never end up completing the bar crawl, which sets up the plot for the movie. Pegg’s character wants to get the crew back together for another shot at The Golden Mile. Only when the five best friends return to their hometown to attempt the challenge, it has been overrun by robots seeking to indoctrinate the townspeople.
The other four members of the crew, played by Nick Frost, Martin Freeman, Paddy Considine, and Eddie Marsan, have all grown up. They are all relatively successful businessmen that are reluctant to join in with Pegg’s plans. In no way do these four follow Pegg’s lead. All of the characters are believable and unique in personality and look, making sure the focus isn’t on one more than the other. All of them also have their own struggles while looking back at their high school careers as middle aged adults.
However, the bromance between Nick and Simon in the previous two movies shines through again. The chemistry between these two real life best friends is mirrored in each film of the trilogy. The World’s End is no exception. Watching the two banter throughout the three movies, whether in disagreement or in clever rapport, is heartwarming and genuine. You can sense their teenage selves dreamt of making this movie while growing up together.
It has a bit of everything. There are some heartwarming talks thrown in between some action scenes with decapitating robots with more than enough time to throw some funny conversation in there to lighten the mood. There are times when combining the three is a bit iffy, but nothing that could ruin the entire movie for you.
In no way is The World’s End or the Cornetto Trilogy a perfect series of films. Through the flaws, though, is something really special made by three best friends whose genuine appreciation for film and each other shines through any pitfalls. Do yourself a favor and catch all three of them if you can, but make a special attempt to see The World’s End before it leaves theaters.
Rating: 4.5 out of 5