Scott Pilgrim vs. the World debuted in 2010 and received fairly positive critical reviews. Despite the warm reception, the movie was mostly ignored by general audiences. The film earned a box-office haul of $47 million, far less than its $60 million budget, according to Box Office Mojo.
Despire its failure at the box office, Scott Pilgrim quickly amassed a cult following in the years after its release, becoming well-known as one of the best comic-book movie adaptations. Yet even with its great reputation, the movie has received its fair share of criticism from fans and non-fans alike, who have expressed their unpopular opinions on Reddit.
The Movie Is Unwatchable For General Audiences
While many believe that Scott Pilgrim was a box-office bomb that deserved to be a hit, it was arguably not made with the general audience in mind. It contains many references to niche popular culture, and it is undeniable that the fast-paced nature of the movie suggests that the filmmakers were not interested in catering to those with no prior knowledge of its references.
This sentiment is expressed by Reddit user dromni, who argues that the movie “is barely watchable for anyone who is not a gamer and doesn’t get the bazillion references in there.” It is understandable how audiences could be put off due to the movie’s pace. However, it is an unfair observation as the movie’s incorporation of different genres means that there is something for everyone.
The Movie Is Not A Faithful Adaptation Of The Comic Series
Scott Pilgrim vs. the World is based on a series of graphic novels written and illustrated by Bryan Lee O’Malley. Running from 2004 to 2010, Scott Pilgrim, considered one of the best comic books, followed the titular character as he was forced to defeat the seven seven evil exes of Ramona Flowers, the woman he is infatuated with.
Wright’s adaptation of the comic was not beloved by all its fans. Reddit user matty13456 thinks that “stylistically the movie nails it. However, in terms of character, the movie misses the mark.” While a potentially fair criticism, it is also possible that the movie is not intended to be an exact replica of the comics, given that it is an entirely different medium.
Scott Should Have Ended Up With Knives
A major aspect of the movie is the titular character’s treatment of Knives Chau, a girl whom Scott dates and then quickly dumps to be with Ramona. Knives’ existence in the film is essential to showcase Scott’s worst qualities, as his awful treatment of her becomes something he apologizes for at the end of the movie.
While Scott ends up with Ramona, some believe that he should have gotten back together with Knives. Reddit user ZerozakiIshiki writes, “I think that would have shown more actual character growth than the actual ending.” While this was the film’s original ending according to The Hollywood Reporter, the way the ending played out was much more in line with each character’s arc. Not only was Scott in love with Ramona, but Knives learned her worth by the end and realized she was too good for the man who mistreated her.
The Characters Are Hard To Care About
Scott Pilgrim vs. the World has a large cast of characters played by several actors of pre-worldwide fame, including Chris Evans, Brie Larson, and Mary Elizabeth Winstead in one of her best movies. Despite focusing primarily on Michael Cera’s Scott, the movie is very much an ensemble of zany characters.
Reddit user manueljljl states that they “didn’t care for any of the characters.” This is an understandable view of the movie, particularly due to the fact that it introduces character after character and arguably becomes crowded. However, the movie does feature development for Scott, Ramona, Knives, and even Envy Adams, showing that perhaps a lack of care about the characters is about personal preference.
The Movie Is Overrated
After being such a commercial disaster in 2010, Scott Pilgrim vs. the World has surprisingly become one of the most well-loved cult classics of all time. Not everyone likes the movie, though, as some find it undeserving of its status as a cult favorite, and have expressed this view on Reddit.
Reddit user Made_In_Murica writes, “Overrated. It has this weird cult following because of its nerdy references, but other than that, meh. Wasn’t good or bad.” It is perhaps unfair to consider a movie such as Scott Pilgrim vs. the World as overrated, particularly as it has a 7.5 rating on IMDb, which is not a score that indicates universal acclaim.
The Style Of The Comics Does Not Translate Well
An aspect of the movie that stands out is its adaption of specific elements of the comic book. The movie’s editing is fast-paced, with each scene feeling like a new panel of a comic book. In addition to this, the fight sequences are inherently similar to the comic book that it is based on.
Reddit user gloomy_lunatic, thought that “the story and graphic novel-type fight scenes were really stupid.” This is an overtly negative opinion about the success of the film’s attempt to adopt a style similar to the graphic novel. While this opinion is of course valid, many believe that this adds to the movie’s charm as it is unique among other comic book adaptations.
The Movie’s Action Sequences Are Unremarkable
For the first 30 minutes of its runtime, Scott Pilgrim vs. the World is seemingly a simple, quirky story about a love triangle between Scott, Knives and the mysterious Ramona. With the explosive entrance of Matthew Patel, one of Ramona’s exes, into the Battle of the Bands, the movie changes drastically.
In the ensuing battle, the characters’ fighting styles mimick what the graphic novel depicts. Following this fight, Scott Pilgrim vs. the World features several more fight scenes with the other evil exes. Reddit user elljawa, argues that “all of the fights feel the same.” While the premise is seemingly repetitive, the filmmakers successfully differentiate each fight, either with a musical number, a different fighter or iconic dialogue, for a few examples.
The Movie Crams Too Much In
The movie itself is only one hour and 50 minutes long, which may feel to some viewers like a relatively short runtime. The plot of the film requires Scott to defeat the seven evil exes of Ramona Flowers, while it also juggles introducing new characters on top of developing several established ones.
Some argue that the movie is too short to successfully adapt the depth of the comic book’s plot. Reddit user Houseofdanger believes that “they needed to split it up into more movies.” While it is an understandable opinion, it is hard to not be impressed by the filmmakers’ ability to adapt six comic books into one film while still making it engaging and easy to follow.
The Music Is Not As Good As Everyone Says
Scott Pilgrim vs. the World is arguably a musical. Scott and his friends are in a band, Sex-Bob-Omb, and his ex-girlfriend, Envy Adams, is the lead singer of Clash at Demonhead. As the majority of the main characters are musically inclined, Scott Pilgrim vs. the World features several songs in its soundtrack.
Reddit user When_Ducks_Attack writes: “I wanted to like it. I tried. I really really tried. The music was awful.” This particular Redditor goes on to claim that the movie missed the mark in every way for them, including from a musical standpoint. This is certainly an unpopular opinion, given the soundtrack’s current relevancy, with Brie Larson’s version of the song “Black Sheep” appearing on the Billboard charts 10 years after its release.
Michael Cera Was Not Good As Scott Pilgrim
A viewer’s enjoyment of a movie can be affected by the main character and the actor’s portrayal of them. In the case of Scott Pilgrim vs. the World, the strength of the ensemble cast means that a leading actor being likable is essential to not be outshone by the supporting characters.
For some, Michael Cera was not appropriate casting for the character of Scott Pilgrim. Reddit user Felix_FedEx writes that they “absolutely hated Michael Cera and he made the movie somewhat unwatchable.” It is arguable that Cera’s portrayal of the character is supposed to be disliked as he mistreats others throughout the film, but eventually redeems himself by the end.
