It all started with Shaun of the Dead in 2004 and continued with Hot Fuzz in 2007. Now, The Cornetto trilogy is complete with the recent release of The World’s End. For those of you who don’t no, Cornetto refers to the type of ice cream that appears in each of the films that make up this rather unrelated and funny British trilogy.
Directed by Edgar Wright and co-written by the film’s lead actor, Simon Pegg, The World’s End tells the story of Gary King (Pegg), a one time high school bad boy who 20 years later hasn’t fully grown up and is still very much the immature teenager he always was. The sad part is that the circle he ran with has established themselves and are now living respectable lives of their own.
It was twenty years ago when King and his band of merry men set out on an epic pub crawl to conquer the Golden Mile. The Golden Mile refers to the circular path of twelve distinct pubs in their hometown that ends at… The World’s End. Basically, twelve pubs, twelve pints all in one night. Needless to say, they didn’t make it to the end back then. Fast forward to today and King, who hasn’t accomplished much on his own to this point in his life, is in desperate need to conclude that quest and he will do what’s necessary to see it become a reality.
Joining Pegg on this adventure of debauchery is once again Nick Frost who appeared in both Shaun of the Dead & Hot Fuzz, as Andy. They are joined by Oliver (Martin Freeman), Steven (Paddy Considine), and Peter (Eddie Marsan). But no sooner as they engage on their quest that they realize that things don’t always appear as they remembered. You see, the occupants of their small town have all been replaced (willingly) by robots. Yes, robots. Who when provoked, becomes extremely violent. Now its up to our gang of drunken misfits to fight for the sake of humanity, one drink at a time.
Are there some lapses in the overall storytelling? Sure. But the great thing about comedy is that if you laugh enough, you can forgive some of those hiccups within the story itself. The World’s End isn’t a perfect comedy. But it is a perfect ending to a well made and well visualized trilogy and a great way to end the summer of 2013. Go see it with some of your buddies and enjoy a few laughs on the house. While you’re at it, have pint before and after but if you find yourself being stared at, run. Run because they maybe robots. Three cheers for The World’s End.
The World’s End, *** (out of 4)
Hot Fuzz, ***
Shaun of the Dead, ***
May the Dork be with you,
JPB
The Dork Knight
