I know I shouldn’t get picky about this, but for a film that wants to be as authentic about its soundtrack there are a couple of obvious mistakes. Suede’s “So Young” was from 1993, a year after the 20 year past mark the film is supposed be celebrating. Pulp’s “Do You Remember Your First Time” is from 1994. Supposedly the group graduated in 1992 (or 1990 by certain accounts), and sure, the songs that were released after are appropriate for a film that is set today, but since the group is trying to relive their glory from earlier… well, you get the idea.
The World’s End stars Simon Pegg getting the gang back together 20 years later to accomplish a task they weren’t able to the first time around. The legendary ‘Golden Mile” – drinking a pint of beer in each of 12 pubs in their old home town. Only thing is, the gang is different, grown up, but Gary (Pegg) is still his adolescent self. Add to this the fact that something is very different about the town.
What should be a grown-up comedy veers quickly into a sort of science-fiction comedy, but not a spoof or satire. Instead it sticks to its characters that are grounded in reality. These five friends from school have gone in large part their separate ways because they have grown to be their own individuals and moved forward with their lives. Except for Gary.
By having the focus be on the friends and what they encounter rather than the intricate sci-fi plot The World’s End has a stronger story. I do, however, have some issues with the ending. The rest of this paragraph will contain minor spoilers but nothing that will ruin the ending or the plot. You have been warned. Mild spoilers ahead. I don’t like how the film ended. It felt arbitrary for things to have sort of shut off mysteriously. It felt arbitrary. And for Gary to have a change of heart and take up with the group he does feels as if there is more explanation necessary. I did like how not everybody made it through unscathed but life goes on, and that was nice, but the “big twist” felt as if they didn’t know quite what to do so they just “went big” because they could.
Despite my issues with the film, I still recommend it because Simon Pegg and Nick Frost are a great pair to watch, couple that with Martin Freeman and a couple of other ace British comedic actors (Eddie Marsan and Paddy Considine) along with old pal Edgar Wright co-writing and directing, well, it’s certainly a good time.
Special features are plentiful enough, starting off with an audio commentary by Edgard Wright and Simon Pegg. It plays out exactly as you would expect with these two old friends. Then there is an audio commentary with Wright and director of photography Bill Pope, which is as technical as you would want, then another commentary with Pegg, Nick Frost and Paddy Considine which meanders around a bit but is fun to listen to. One deleted scene and a few alternate takes, a lengthy (and fun to watch) gag reel, a lengthy “making of” featurette and an option for storyboards to be presented picture in picture should round out the offerings. But no. There’s more. I won’t go into the lengthy list of smaller featurettes, but fans of the film will have well over 2 hours worth of stuff to watch in addition to the audio commentaries.
It may not be perfect, but The World’s End is a fun couple of hours. The massive amounts of special features makes this well worth purchasing.