SCOTT PILGRIM VS. THE WORLD : Navigating love and exes in a quirky adventure.

1. OVERVIEW

The movie begins with Scott the teenage protagonist figuring out his life confessing to his friends about his young girlfriend of the age 17, as the movie progresses his eyes catch the sight of his dream girl in party and instantly falls for her. 

Scott goes through this  complex love polygon between him the new girlfriend the old girlfriend, and 7 other dudes who the new girlfriend dated. All of them come face to face to battle Scott to a duel to prove if he is strong enough to become her new boyfriend.

2. CHARACTERS

Scott Pilgrim, as a teenage protagonist who portrays the challenges of young love, self-identity, and personal growth, his journey in the movie is about personal growth and understanding the consequences of his actions, highlighting the importance of self-awareness and empathy.

Knives Chau represents the innocent, youthful love interest in Scott's life, portraying the simplicity and earnestness of young romance. She is a very cute Asian girl who has an enthusiastic personality and the one who is witnessing the blossoming of the fresh love between her and Scott.

On the other hand, Ramona Flowers embodies the mysterious and emotionally complex love interest, reflecting the challenges and intricacies of more mature relationships. She is the kind of person who is highly moody, she changes her mind every week and she doesn't fixate on a particular person and or thing, she has a dynamic personality which made her have 7 boyfriends.

Next lets speak about Wallace, he is Scott's gay room mate, he is quite the character, he is really proud of who he is and how he deals with Scott when all things rains havoc. He also likes to have his own fun in the side and being Scott's best friend he enjoys when Scott's misery extremely.

Julie is another character who is the social butterfly and she literally knows everything and everyone along with each and everyone's secret instantly. She is the typical teenager who cusses constantly and pretty much hates everything and everyone.

3. CINEMATIC APPEAL

The film begins with a lighthearted and comical tone that continues throughout the story, engaging the audience with witty dialogues and amusing situations.

The plot of the movie is full of surprises and unexpected twists, keeping the audience intrigued as they follow Scott's journey to defeat Ramona's evil ex-boyfriends.

The music in the movie matches the energetic and offbeat atmosphere including extremely lame lyrics which enhances comedic theme and contributes to the overall enjoyment of the film.

The film employs video game aesthetics, complete with on-screen displays resembling a game interface, showcasing Scott's battles in a manner akin to completing levels or opponents in a video game.

The writers of the movie have also taken the effort to integrate animation and comic strip-like visuals to depict certain scenes or emphasize specific actions, adding a visually captivating element to the storytelling. Pretty much shows that a lot of production has been gone into making of this film. These artistic choices pay homage to the graphic novel's style and provide a unique visual experience, differentiating the film from conventional live-action movies. 

4. PERSONAL OPINION

All the boyfriends of Ramona's were never out of love but were just because of the right time and coincidence which made me a little concerned as to in which direction is the movie headed., the fact that the protagonist is after her and she is portrayed as the main heroin unlike Knives who makes more of an ideal girlfriend. Obviously everyone is different and everyone has their own choice on whom they choose to date, but the fact that all 7 of her boyfriends didn't work out of her, pretty much shows how much of a non stagnant behavior she has.

There are also multiple famous celebrities playing as different roles in this movie which makes the movie a little more tolerable, their acting was up to the mark and they delivered their dialogues in a way fitting to the genre and the environment of the movie. This movie which was made in 2010 has VFX effects and animations which looks like it is way past that age.

There are a few scenes where a certain types of people have been made fun by certain stereotypical qualities which is supposed to be funny but it is isn't, it just tunes out to be rude and mean to that particular group of people .

This film imparts the message that our actions affect those around us and emphasizes the value of self-reflection and making amends for past behavior.

The fact that they have made a live action movie ruins the fictional aspect and hence the animated version of the same concept would have done wonders as a lot of youth nowadays love series like Rick and Morty which is taking content to an extreme with the most weirdest plot and story line.

All the face off scenes in the movie have been given a game like , something out of an 8 bit theme vibe. The fighting effects reminds me of the old arcade street fighter games, where the viewer or player can feel the punches being hit. At the same time it gets confusing at times during transition scenes where I wasn't able to realize when the animation or VFX ended and when the realism begins. Kudos to the VFX team for getting it right , but it can get confusing as a viewer to connect the dots.

The movie is completely fictional and hence not at all realistic, the fact that they have tried to prove a lot of realistic aspects in a fictional story, they have completely ruined the moral of the story. 

I feel bad for knives she didn't do anything wrong, she was the ideal girlfriend if anyone could ask for , she was sweet and happy and no one could resist her smile, even though she was a little young she had a lot of enthusiasm in life and she genuinely loved Scott for whom he is , along with all his quirks and behaviors.

It was a little confusing for me to see understand what was running through Scott's mind, that he gave up on Knives and had to run behind another girl who hated him in the beginning and they only started dating because he was desperate and wouldn't let her go otherwise.

There was a really cool scene when Scott tries to battle one of her ex in a band battle, where he and his band goes face to face with another band with a live audience. Until this movie i hadn't realized that band battles are a thing.

The story itself has a very typical time line , and there is a slow progression of the character development of Scott where in the beginning he thinks himself as the right hero and that attitude gets him through certain parts of the story where later he has to face hardships and then realize what's more important to him and prioritize that and finally make a good come back in the end.

You should not really fight for love at least in the beginning when u don't even know the other person, it should occur pretty naturally otherwise that love is not gonna last long, there will be no more peace left in life and it just becomes troublesome in the end.

There are a lot of flaws in the movie when it comes to how the movie is trying to portray certain qualities and moral values, one such instance which depicts an extra life for Scott when he made a mistake. Life is not a game people don't have a second life for changing things , maybe you get a second chance but that's not really a do over. Hence it's extremely essential for u to act and talk and speak the words u want to speak with care so that u don't hurt anyone, once it's done it's done there is no going back the mark has been made and the wound cannot be healed that easily.

The movie had the worst ending possible, they had given the viewers a high expectations just to see a very average ending which was the least exciting and the most unsatisfying moment. There were multiple options they could have gone for in order to provide for a better ending but they chose the worst possible ending.

5. CONCLUSION

I would rate this movie a 2.5/5 stars. The movie explores the complexities of relationships at a young age, illustrating the struggle to balance emotions, desires, and responsibilities while navigating the uncertainties of adolescence.

The film deliberately embraces non-realistic and fantastical elements, creating a surreal world that aligns with the comic book and video game inspirations.

The ending of the movie, challenges traditional romantic resolutions, portraying love as a complex and evolving choice rather than a clear-cut decision, this resolution invites for some discussion, prompting the audience to contemplate the nature of love and relationships, making the film more thought-provoking and less formulaic.

Overall you tend to realize that how it's the story of a girl and guy getting to know each other through the girl's ex boyfriends, there are many qualities of the girl Scott realizes after he faces her ex boyfriends. 

THE EXPENDABLES : Rogue justice

1. OVERVIEW

    Expendables is an action filled movie, characterizing a group of rogue specialists who work for themselves as a vigilante group of men, these men in todays layman terms can be called as free lancers, who do impossible jobs involving assassinations or destruction of an evil plan set up by a dictator of sorts.

    These men are prepared with their ammunitions and amazing fighting skills, they are able to take down a whole entire army just by using their ability to understand the environment and adapt to the situation, the team is made of six people and one leader who tells them about which missions they have available.

    

    Of the six of them, the first one is the leader of the group, the second one is a guy who can use blades and throwing knives, the third member is an Asian who knows martial arts, the fourth member of the team is the muscle of the group ,the fifth member is a gun man who knows everything about guns and bombs, and the sixth is an ex military army man.

    In this movie the team chooses a mission which includes going to an island called Vilena and then removing the army rule their by killing the commander, the island is completely overcome by the dictator commander and this movie shows how the expendables deal with this situation.

2. CHARACTERS

    Barney Ross played by the one and only Sylvester Stallone is the one who abides by justice and he is the kind of a person who doesn't get sleep when he knows there is injustice or there is someone in pain which he could have prevented. He is great with handling the team and managing the team such that there is as much less quarrel between them as possible. He is great during the cowboy showdown type situations as he is great with his pistol and doesn't not miss his target.

    There is a sense of selflessness in him that the viewers would really look up to and one his qualities that people cherish about him. Sometimes he does things in his own out of his own will and the team members support him in any way possible and get him out of any situation and this is the kind of leader that an explicable team deserves.

    Lee Christmas played by none other than Jason Statham is the Blade specialist, he has great aim and can throw daggers and throwing knives at great speeds and great accuracy, he never misses his targets, his skill set works great for an assassination type of a mission since the knives don't make as much noise and its a silent weapon. He is a nice guy overall and believes in justice and is a man with kind heart and trust.

    Tool played by Mickey Rourke is the leader of the Expendables squad and he is one of the ex members of the squad itself, he doesn't attend the missions because of a horrific past that haunts him everyday. He assigns missions to the squad as well as takes care of the mental well-being of the squad. He is a tattoo artist on the side which adds the extra element of goth and punkish vibe to him.

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    Yin Yang played by Jet Li is the Asian in the group, he is an amazing martial artist and can physically take down each of the team members on his own, he is good with his fighting skills and his ability to use the environment on his favor. He assumes the team is not in his favor cause he is an Asian and that he is so short, everyone in the team makes fun of this fact and this adds the extra bit of humor in the movie.

    Gunner played by Dolph Lundgren in the movie struggles with anger management and temper-related challenges, this character struggles to control his emotions, leading to heated conflicts and impulsive decisions. The inclusion of such a character adds a layer of tension and volatility to the narrative, potentially influencing the relationships and events within the movie.

3. CINEMATIC APPEAL

    The movie is characterized by an intense plot involving a lot of unwanted and unexpected gore and violence. These scenes include the intense combat, fights, or confrontations that are visually explicit and showcase the brutality of the story. 

    The inclusion of such graphic scenes adds the element of shock, flinch and rawness to the narrative, appealing to audiences seeking an adrenaline-fueled viewing experience, some viewers would find this part of the movie really exciting.

    The movie is action-packed, featuring numerous sequences involving intense action and thrilling chases. These scenes are meticulously choreographed and filmed to captivate the audience, showcasing a blend of physical combat, stunts, and fast-paced pursuits, as well as making the best use of the environment. The use of dynamic action sequences enhances the overall excitement and energy of the movie.

   

    Incorporating the environment creatively into fight scenes is a hallmark of a great movie. Characters utilize their surroundings strategically during fights, adding an innovative dimension to the action. This aspect not only showcases the characters' adaptability but also enhances the realism and excitement of the fight sequences, this makes the viewers adore the fight sequences.

4. PERSONAL OPINION

    The movie features a diverse array of characters, each with their own set of principles or beliefs and each of them having their own but of inside jokes which adds the element of whimsy. Some characters adhere to a moral or ethical code, guiding their actions and decisions, while others may lack such principles and operate based on personal motivations or survival instincts. 

    The diversity in character values contributes to the complexity of the story and influences the interactions and conflicts within the movie, since the principles of one might coincidence with the other and that's when they work together and make impossible happen or at times when they go against each other and that leads to a world of pain for the entire team.

    A prominent theme in the movie is the betrayal of comrades or allies. The trust between the members of the team is broken and the balance of the team is at stake, the characters face betrayal from those they consider close or on the same side. 

    The betrayal element introduces internal conflict, emotional turmoil, and moral dilemmas- which pretty much questions if people actually deserve a second chance when the things they have done is of utmost horrifying kind. This deepens the plot and character development, potentially driving the story in unexpected directions.

    The movie prides itself on defying predictability. It keeps the audience on the edge of their seats by incorporating unexpected plot twists and turns that deviate from conventional storylines. The unpredictability engages the viewers, challenging their expectations and delivering a unique and surprising viewing experience, the intercrossing of different plot lines and different relations between the characters in the movie adds to the unpredictability.

    Beyond the main characters, the movie introduces third-party elements that disrupt the anticipated narrative flow, this part of the movie is completely unexpected and very surprising. These unexpected twists could come from external forces, unforeseen alliances, or hidden agendas, throwing the characters and audience off balance and intensifying the story's intrigue and suspense.

5. CONCLUSION

    The movie features a cast of physically imposing characters, often referred to as "buff dudes." Their imposing presence aligns with the high level of action showcased throughout the film. This abundance of action scenes, of high quality and intensity, ensures that the movie lives up to the expectations of action enthusiasts, providing a visually exhilarating experience.

    I would give this movie a rating of 3.5/5. I feel the need for a bit of backstory to better understand the characters and the overarching situation. A lack of adequate background information can leave viewers wanting more context, particularly regarding the characters' motivations, past experiences, and the overall setting. A well-developed backstory enhances character depth and enriches the storytelling. 

    At times the movie looks like a piece of a bigger movie where only the best action parts were cut and made into a new movie, just because of the fact that there is no pre or post parts of the movie properly explained.