The World's End

It was a dark and stormy afternoon.  Well, maybe not the entire afternoon, but the clouds did gather early Saturday afternoon and the rain poured down just as I left for the Times Cinema.  I arrived at quarter to one and found my seat smack dab in the middle of the theater.  I was the first to arrive, and as the thunder rumbled and the minutes passed and the previews showed, I found myself still alone.  Someone will come, I thought to myself (although I could have said it aloud, as there was no one there).

The theater darkened completely, and for the first time in my life, I was seeing a movie completely alone.  It's a strange feeling, sort of like having your own private showing, and it was kind of a shame.  Kind of a shame because The World's End is one of the best moviegoing experiences of the year and would have been a blast with a huge crowd. 

The World's End is directed by Edgar Wright and features Simon Pegg and Nick Frost.  Pegg plays Gary King, a man who never really grew up.  Many years ago, Gary and his friends set out on an epic pub crawl.  Their goal was to drink a pint at all 12 pubs in town, all within walking distance of each other.  They never finished, and for Gary, it's served as a lifelong regret, so he decides to try to get the friends all back together.  None of them really wants to, as they've all moved on to successful, safe lives, but Gary cons all of them into trying again.   I'm going to stop with the plot summary there, as there are twists and turns that I don't want to give away.

Wright, Pegg, and Frost have constructed a masterpiece.  The World's End is the most fun I've had in the theater since The Avengers.  This is a tale about reliving the past and the hazards of doing so, the passage of time and what happens to those who choose not to change as time goes by.  It's so successful because at no time does it come off corny or maudlin (and there are many chances for it to go in those directions), and the action and suspense keep coming.   Finally, despite some rough language, it's not gory or obscene. 

Go now and see it.  Don't let the theaters be empty for such a great film!