Scott Pilgrim vs. The World - Talk UP! (SPOILERS)

[Sage Shinigami]

I've been reading the books and while it's definitely not page for page, it's pretty close and the changes work for the best. For instance, the Lisa/Roxanne plot in the comics just made Ramona come off like a bitch--cutting that was genius.

The farther I get through the comics though, the more I realize they should've cast someone different for Pilgrim though. Like, Cera did well, but Scott's a lovable idiot, and with Cera he comes off seeming like he's smarter than he actually is.

 

[SaikoDragon]

loved the movie. know nothing of the comics. Saw it today with the gf

 

[Bolt]

I just got back from seeing this a little while ago, thought it was great. I don't know much about the comics, but it was a ton of fun throughout and obviously translated well to the screen. There wasn't anything about it that I disliked or thought could've been handled better, and it was especially impressive from a directing/editing standpoint. Awesome stuff, go see it now.

 

[Blue Saint]

I think I realized why this movie failed, it is because it's not actually a geeky movie rather it is a geek chic movie. It tries to act geeky because it's trendy but not because they actually care all that much about any of it. It is that guy who bought the Watchmen trade but doesn't know who Alan Moore is or who haven't at least thought what it would have been like if they used the Charlton characters instead. From everything I have heard, they copy the look and feel of the books, but not the heart and at the end of the day that is what fans love about anything. It is weird aspect when ever anyone tries to adapt anything geeky it is mostly superficial, like most superheroes just focus on the fights and powers. Geeks love the things they do because they have an emotional connection with them, and if you take that away to focus on the surface you are just left with a hollow experience.

I think this is going be a landmark movie though, since it is probably going be the point where Hollywood starts to realize pandering to geek trend isn't a good investment. Maybe next year we will start to get SDCC.

 

[KouAidou]

I think I realized why this movie failed, it is because it's not actually a geeky movie rather it is a geek chic movie. It tries to act geeky because it's trendy but not because they actually care all that much about any of it. It is that guy who bought the Watchmen trade but doesn't know who Alan Moore is or who haven't at least thought what it would have been like if they used the Charlton characters instead. From everything I have heard, they copy the look and feel of the books, but not the heart and at the end of the day that is what fans love about anything. It is weird aspect when ever anyone tries to adapt anything geeky it is mostly superficial, like most superheroes just focus on the fights and powers. Geeks love the things they do because they have an emotional connection with them, and if you take that away to focus on the surface you are just left with a hollow experience.

I think this is going be a landmark movie though, since it is probably going be the point where Hollywood starts to realize pandering to geek trend isn't a good investment. Maybe next year we will start to get SDCC.

No movie fails in the first weekend for the reasons you describe. Stuff like "didn't have the heart of the original" is all word of mouth stuff that hits the movie in subsequent weeks. First weekend gross is purely based on premise, advertising, and mainstream appeal. Scott Pilgrim failed because the premise was weird, it didn't have any big stars, and because gamer geeks don't make up as much as the population as we like to think we do. You just can't sell a movie only to nerds and expect it to make big box office. This has never worked, and it never will.

And also... what the hell is wrong with reading Watchman and not knowing who Alan Moore is? A truly great story stands on its own, regardless of how much you know about the backstory behind it. It seems to me that someone who only buys the comic because of the Alan Moore name and its historical significance would be closer to the "superficial" geek you're complaining about than someone who reads and loves it because it's a good story.

 

[Blue Saint]

No movie fails in the first weekend for the reasons you describe. Stuff like "didn't have the heart of the original" is all word of mouth stuff that hits the movie in subsequent weeks. First weekend gross is purely based on premise, advertising, and mainstream appeal. Scott Pilgrim failed because the premise was weird, it didn't have any big stars, and because gamer geeks don't make up as much as the population as we like to think we do. You just can't sell a movie only to nerds and expect it to make big box office. This has never worked, and it never will.

And also... what the hell is wrong with reading Watchman and not knowing who Alan Moore is? A truly great story stands on its own, regardless of how much you know about the backstory behind it. It seems to me that someone who only buys the comic because of the Alan Moore name and its historical significance would be closer to the "superficial" geek you're complaining about than someone who reads and loves it because it's a good story.

I was talking about the whole geek chic trend, which was the entire reason this movie was even made. This movie was being sold on the notion that looking and acting nerdy is cool, like the trend the movie is superficial. I say it has no heart in part due to commercials I have seen and every line the two leads say just sound flat even the intense moments. This movie to me seems like Xanadu, it wants to exploit the mainstream interest of a subculture/trend without actually wanting to understand it.

And you know what Watchmen was a book that you picked after being into comics for awhile just due everyone always talking it and referencing it, just so you would know what it was. But then the trailers for the movie came calling it the "greatest graphic novel in the world" which caused a lot people to pick it due to buzz around the movie. But honestly the story itself of Watchmen is alright, nice twists and all but frankly rather silly, but what makes it great is the context and how stretched what could be done with comics. People who just nod their head saying yeah this is the best without understanding why is superficial. I do believe that to get why Watchmen is so highly regarded you have to understand the history of comics and the context in which it was made.

 

[Bolt]

I saw a movie that attempted to entertain fans of the source material by being faithful to the concept while attracting uninitiated viewers through the cast, comedy and wild special effects, not one that pandered to any kind of social trend or expectation. If anything, the accusations you're making could be leveled at the original graphic novels as well, since that's where all the geekified jokes and references originated.

 

[Skiks]

The movie hasn't bombed yet actually. Ironically it's still made more money in the box office so far then Shaun of the Dead and Hot Fuzz. They'll make all the money back on blu ray and dvd if all else fails.
In fact critics seem to love it:
http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/scott_pilgrims_vs_the_world/
The problem only comes from people who are completely lost due to the generation gap.

 

[SaikoDragon]

I thought the introspective on relationships was great. It was no 500 days of Summer but at the same time, it was like 'how geeks view dating'. There were some really great concepts here.

When you're dating a girl, it does feel like you are competing or 'battling' her 'evil exes' to be better than them. It's like you can't help but compare yourself to them and try to defeat them, you know? So I loved how the movie displayed that concept.

 

[Hidden Masta]

I think the man problem was how fast everything seemed to move. From one ex to the next just moved so fast it's hard to make a plot. Also from the way things were explained like the subspace and vegan powers it seemed to make more sense in the book. I tried watching it like I didn't know about the book and it made the movie come off as 'awkward'.