The World’s End is Edgar Wright, Simon Pegg and Nick Frost’s final film in the so-called “Three Flavours Cornetto” trilogy, following Shaun of the Dead and Hot Fuzz. (This is nicely illustrated with a great sight gag in the final scenes).
The film’s plot has Simon Pegg as a wastrel forty-something teenager wanting (needing) to revisit the jaunts of his youth. He cajoles four friends (Frost, Eddie Marsan, Martin Freeman and Paddy Considine) to join him on a twelve pub, twelve pint pub crawl ending at the pub of the title. But things are not as they seem in the town of Newton Haven (with actual locations of Welwyn Garden City and Letchworth).
Having enjoyed Shaun of the Dead and really loved Hot Fuzz I was really looking forward to this film. However, I have to say I was disappointed.
The first half hour of the film in particular is heavy going, short on any decent laughs. Pegg’s character, Gary King, is written to be a desperately needy character constantly coming out with over-the-top statements, but this makes the lack of gags even more obvious: Pegg seems to be trying to fill the void by mugging it up.
The film warms up a little when they team start their pub crawl and meet up with old flame (or rather fumble in the disabled toilets) Sam, played by Rosamund Pike. Sam plays the third point in a love triangle between Gary and Steven (Paddy Considine).
Hot Fuzz concerned the two leads (Pegg and Frost) in a village where things are not quite as they seem. As such, the plot of this film seems less than novel, and without the crusty jugglers.
But the film is not without good moments, and some great sight gags and one liners. I particularly liked Gary’s “To err is human, so, err…”.
But a simpler story with less special effects and more spent on the story ideas would have brought better results.
Fad Rating: FFf.
