The World's End - Blu-ray Review

Details: By Loron Hays; 20 August 2013

{2jtab: Movie Review}

The World's End - Movie Review

Saving the best for the last, director Edgar Wright and star Simon Pegg nicely wrap up their “Cornetto” trilogy with The World’s End. It is a movie that is refreshing and hilarious and – shockingly enough – full of heart. If you thought Shaun of the Dead or Hot Fuzz was overpopulated with discontent man-babies or "maybes", well, leave it to Wright to up the stakes with a double-whammy of midlife crisis. Uproarious and clever to the very end, The World’s End – especially with Pegg’s sharp performance – is the very definition of modern masculine immaturity and alienation in the face of an ever increasingly foreign world.

Their famously failed pub crawl started when five friends - played by Pegg, Andy (Nick Frost), Peter (Eddie Marsan), Oliver (Martin Freeman) and Steven (Paddy Considine) - were only schoolmates. Twenty years later, Pegg – while undertaking a half-assed attempt at cleaning up his act – has a grand idea to reunite the gang and tackle the pub crawl; this time finishing what they only started as boys.

The only hitch is that they all have grown apart and, for lack of a better word, unwelcome him back into their estranged group. But like lambs to the slaughter, they sheepishly cave to his overpowering will and return to the scene of the crime: their hometown for one last go-around of the pubs.

Except things have changed. Or they haven’t. In what amounts to a robot-led twisting of Don Siegel’s Invasion of the Body Snatchers, five friends discover a most disturbing secret about their hometown and their own selves. People are not who they say are. And their picturesque small town – now populated with similar pub after pub decorations not unlike a Starbucks or McDonald’s – is the worst offender.

Written by Wright and Pegg, The World’s End is at once a scathing commentary on consumerism and sameness but – if one scratches a bit more – there’s an awful truth the film reveals about aging itself in the wake of modernism. That’s right, you can never go home again. To say that Pegg’s character – appropriately named Gary King – peaked in high school is an understatement. The same can't be said of Pegg's performance. It is by far his best yet.

Unfortunately, even King - still wearing his Sisters of Mercy t-shirt - can’t get over the sad truth of his existence. And while the Wright’s film is a bit more serious in tone – especially at the beginning – the strength of the characters and witty banter between five friends has quite the stranglehold. It’s intoxicating on its own to see these actors battle wits.

And then the robots show up and all hell breaks loose. But that, dear readers, is where my synopsis of the film ceases. To say more would spoil the surprises, the cameos, and the brave, brave direction Wright and Pegg take the film in.

Photographed by Tim Pope, The World’s End might just be the prettiest looking of the trilogy, too. Newton Haven - the town the friends “crash” - is picture perfect and Pope’s camera catches all the right angles to set the stage for the mass chaos that follows in the wake of a bathroom brawl between King and a teen who he picks on. He also manages to square in on some nice visual consumerism-minded moments while Wright pulls together some quick edits and smart transition pieces.

In typical Sex and the City all-in-line formation, Pegg and his cohorts, descend upon the town ready to atone for the sin of not completing their pub crawl all those twenty some-odd years ago. They know nothing of the Twilight Zone weirdness that has taken over their town. They will know soon enough…much to our delight.

Twisted and spot-on in its comically spun theories about life on this planet, The World’s End and every single one of its frothy pints is a reminder of just horribly real the homebrew recipe of male menopause is. This – laughing and clutching your sides – is the perfect way to end the summer season of movie-going.

Where will you be at The World’s End?

{2jtab: Film Details}

MPAA Rating: R for pervasive language including sexual references.
Runtime: 109 mins.
Director: Edgar Wright
Writer: Edgar Wright; Simon Pegg
Cast: Simon Pegg; Nick Frost; Martin Freeman
Genre: Comedy
Tagline: Good food. Fine ales. Total Annihilation
Memorable Movie Quote: "I still think nothing that has been suggested in the last 10 minutes beats 'smashy smashy egg people'."
Distributor: Focus Features
Official Site: www.focusfeatures.com/the_worlds_end
Release Date: November 19, 2013
DVD/Blu-ray Release Date: No details available.

Synopsis: 20 years after attempting an epic pub crawl, five childhood friends reunite when one of them becomes hellbent on trying the drinking marathon again. They are convinced to stage an encore by Gary King, a 40-year-old man trapped at the cigarette end of his teens, who drags his reluctant pals to their hometown and once again attempts to reach the fabled pub - The World's End. As they attempt to reconcile the past and present, they realize the real struggle is for the future, not just theirs but humankind's. Reaching The World's End is the least of their worries.

{2jtab: Blu-ray Review}

Piranha 3D - Blu-ray Review

Component Grades
Movie		Blu-ray Disc


Blu-ray Experience

Blu-ray Details:

Available on Blu-ray - November 19, 2013
Screen Formats: 2.40:1
Subtitles: English SDH, Spanish
Audio: English: DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1; Spanish: DTS 5.1
Discs: 50GB Blu-ray Disc; Two-disc set (1 BD, 1 DVD); UV digital copy; iTunes digital copy; DVD copy; BD-Live; D-Box

Focus (and Universal) have given The World's End a strong 1080p/AVC MPEG-4 encode that presents the film in a 2.35:1 aspect ratio. The picture is consistently sharp and detailed. Fine features like facial pores and hairs can always be seen. You'll notice textures of surfaces, like wooden table tops, pitted concrete walls and soft clothing. And the colors are impressive, crisp and never disappointing. Black levels are strong. Shadows are deep and fine detail is perfect throughout. The film arrives with a great 5.1 DTS-HD Master Audio mix. Most comedies don't feature exemplary audio mixing, but the action brings out the potential of a lossless mix.

Supplements:

Commentary:

There are three EXCELLENT commentaries that are both worth the price of blu-ray itself. Pegg and Wright kick things off with their commentary. The second is the cast commentary with stars Simon Pegg, Nick Frost, and Paddy Considine. Hysterical to the last, the stars provide information AND humor as they discuss the filming and their ideas during the shoot. The Technical Commentary with director Edgar Wright and director of photography Bill Pope is more serious – more or less – and features some great information about their work on the film.

Special Features:

The Blu-ray Combo Pack includes the now-requisite multiple formats: DVD, Blu-ray, and Digital HD with Ultra Violet. However, the special features go beyond what audiences now expect or require of such a set by divulging an exceptional number of details about the film’s origins and production, as well as the typical director and cast commentaries. If you were a fan of Shaun of the Dead and Hot Fuzz, you’re sure to enjoy The World’s End. The Blu-ray bonus features are definitely worth checking out and seeing Simon Pegg, Nick Frost, and Martin Freeman behind-the-scenes is certainly worth the purchase. You also get behind the scenes looks at the stunts in the film, the fight choreography, and how the creative team behind the film went about writing the film with their trust flip chart. There’s a near hour-long making of documentary that is worth watching as it covers almost every aspect of the film. Tons of great bonus material makes this one a must own.