COLUMN: 'Cinema Pixeldiso' – Scott Pilgrim Versus The World
August 24, 2010 12:00 PM |
['Cinema Pixeldiso' is a not-so-regular column by Matt 'Fort90' Hawkins that takes a look at movies that are either directly based upon or are related to video games. This latest entry takes a look at the recently released, much-heralded Scott Pilgrim Versus The World.]
To say that the Scott Pilgrim Versus The World is the biggest thing to happen to video game related cinema in a very long time is an understatement. Though what's taken center stage more so than the film itself has been the intense reaction; people either passionately adore the movie or vehemently loathe it.
Critics and viewers alike have characterized the film as either a love letter to all video gamers out there or a damning indictment of how YouTube is destroying the minds of our youth. And there appears to be no middle ground; the most vocal side has been the fans (at least the diehard contingent), who claim that you're either one of “us” (whom the movies was made for, though the criteria used to determine if one is part of the club or not is somewhat in question) or you're not, end of story.
And despite all the hyperbole (much of which has been a massive turnoff, personally speaking), I don't think it's misleading to state that this particular motion picture is indeed a watershed moment for the genre. After all, most examples, at least from tinsel town, are either big screen translations of some hit title, with all the perils and pitfalls that come with the such territory, or an original story that attempts to tap into the world of gaming itself, usually in a manner that the filmmakers believe to be clever, but often is not.
Sometimes there's an attempt to make some kind of deep insight or commentary, which again usually misses the mark completely. Whereas Scott Pilgrim Versus The World from very early on gave the impression that those helming the project truly understood the subject matter. And we all know that people who actually "get it" is far and few between in the world of major motion pictures, regardless of the topic or audience.
Categories: Column: Cinema Pixeldiso