This Is the End, 2013.
Directed by Seth Rogen and Evan Goldberg.
Starring James Franco, Jonah Hill, Seth Rogen, Jay Baruchel, Craig Robinson, Danny McBride, Michael Cera, and Emma Watson.
SYNOPSIS:
“And Jonah Hill?! You’re just a c***!” Danny McBride there, shouting expletives at the Moneyball star halfway through Seth Rogen and Evan Goldberg’s comedic take on The End of Days. The quote, one of many, MANY extremely crass but brilliant ones throughout this awesome comedy, perfectly sets the tone for what Rogen and Goldberg are going for.
The stage is set at James Franco’s house party, where our multi-talented cast, essentially playing themselves with just the smallest of twists (Hill an apparent homosexual, Baruchel hating everyone bar Rogen, Cera the cocky drunk who ends up on the wrong of a Rihanna right-hook). And this being a Rogen movie, drugs, booze, and scantily-clad women are front and centre. But as the beer chugs down and the drugs decrease, the apocalypse rears its ugly head, and soon all manner of celebrities have bitten the dust, and a sea of unspeakable creatures arrive to wreck their hellish… well, hell.
While this may seem like a comedy with an apocalyptic slant for shits and giggles, it is actually a pretty impressive vision of the End of Days. Granted, a lot of things (giant devil for example) are extremely over-the-top and messers Rogen and Goldberg aren’t Spielberg or Nolan, but for what purpose they serve, the images brought to the screen are a suitable mix of hellish and absurd.
But it’s the comedy we came for, and the comedy couldn’t be funnier or ruder. With the downturn in fortunes with The Hangover franchise in the excruciatingly unfunny Part III, it’s refreshing to see a comedy that is doing something different. We all know the guys and girls here, and the dangers could have been both overkill and repetition, much like the aforementioned franchise killer. Here, Rogen and Goldberg do utilise all the gangs comedy stylings, but by cleverly poking fun at both themselves and the friends around them, they add a great edge to proceedings. Jokes, insults and vulgarity come thick and fast, whether it’s who is going to rape Emma Watson (great cameo) or get a friendly neighbourhood “titty f$*%”, and everything in between. If you go in expecting anything less, you will disappointed, annoyed even. However if this is you bag, you’re in for a treat.
With its emphasis on group dynamics, it’s almost unfair to pick a favourite amongst them here. At least, it would be, if it weren’t for the brilliant turn from Danny McBride. So much on the periphery in terms of breaking out comedy stardom (his supporting turns in Tropic Thunder and Pineapple Express, as well as his lead role in the gloriously silly Your Highness failing to shoot him skyward like Rogen), here is the closest film performance on a par with his brilliant Eastbound & Down. Crass, rude and always sweaty in that dog perm hair-do, McBride is superb throughout. He’s is given some of the best lines in the film for sure (see beginning of review for proof of that), but his timing is spot-on and his performance fantastic. Craig Robinson too is great, as are Emma Watson and Michael Cera in their cameos, and although the masses will be flocking to see Rogen, or Franco, there are plenty of great stuff from all players. There are some bum notes sure and some of jokes don’t work, but when material like this is performed with such gusto and fun, it’s hard to be swept up with the ride.
If there is a downside it’s in its length. Even with a relatively short run time of 1 hours 45mins, there are moments you feel could be trimmed here and there, and some small portions could well have been dumped all together(Michael Cera cameo anyone?). But when This Is the End is funny, it’s really funny, and with the returning Pegg/Frost/Wright trifecta in a month or so with The World’s End, as well as Mr.Burgundy’s Christmas Comedy on the horizon, it will be interesting to see who gets the yearly comedy crown. For now though, this is this years best comedy, and one of the best of recent years.
Flickering Myth Rating: Film ★ ★ ★ / Movie ★ ★ ★ ★
Scott Davis
Originally published June 5, 2013. Updated April 11, 2018.
