A delightful mix of subtle British comedy and American icons like “The Hangover”, “The World’s End” is an impressive film from the same mind that brought us “Shaun of the Dead” and “Hot Fuzz”. Edgar Wright brings us an enjoyable drinking buddy comedy with an alien twist.
The movie begins with Gary King (Simon Pegg), a washed up burnout, trying to get his old high school buddies back together to relive the glory days and complete a 12 pub crawl that they failed over 20 years ago. The gang (Pegg, Nick Frost, Martin Freeman, Paddy Consadine, and Eddie Marsan) returns to its hometown and notices something fishy about the residents. They’ve all been replaced by robotic versions of their previous selves.
Pegg brings a charming playfulness to the role of a man who refuses to grow up and Frost does a good job of being torn between being a kid again and the reality of adulthood. The smart humor is most certainly British and may not easily translate to all American audiences. The film also features some dramatic moments between the men who have all moved on to successful business ventures while Pegg’s character lives in the past and participates in destructive alcohol and drug abuse. “The World’s End” separates itself from the typical drinking comedy with a body snatchers twist leaving the film with lots of action and sci-fi making it well rounded and enjoyable.
“The World’s End” has a lot going on but balances the different aspects well and leaves something for all audiences to like, especially fans of Wright’s past work.
The film is rated R for thematic elements including strong language.
