Scott Pilgrim VS the World was one of my earliest movie reviews. I wrote it on V4 of ScrewAttack, and it was rough. But while my writing has significantly improved since 2010, the feedback I received was positive. It was a pivotal moment in my interest in film, bridging video games with cinematic storytelling.
I figured that we were done with this story, however; after all, the graphic novel and the movie were complete! Surely there was nothing to add, right? Right?! Cue Scott Pilgrim Takes Off. Despite the title being different, I thought that this’d be a retelling of the story, with 1:1 comic accuracy. Even the trailer gave that vibe, except with animation.
How wrong I was.
I’ll admit that the first episode’s misleading. It begins faithfully, rehashing the movie in a slightly-altered manner, but right when Scott faces Ramona’s first ex, Matthew Patel, the rug’s pulled and the show trolls everyone. Scott loses, becomes a handful of change and, supposedly, dies. The story then follows Ramona, who’s left in a state of crisis. What’s worse, Ramona’s led to believe that Scott didn’t die after all. But if that’s true, then what really happened? And would her exes have something to do with it?
I remember being confused by this change in direction. I mean, this was Scott’s story! Surely the show wouldn’t lie, right? Still, I persisted. And once I got over my bewilderment, I ended up really enjoying the change in focus. In some ways, I enjoy it more!
You heard me correctly. And yes, I get the frustration. This was Brian Lee O’Malley’s brainchild, one he slaved over for years. The movie adaptation was even filmed before the final volume was finished, such that the two versions diverged with their endings. But enough time had passed for a redo Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood-style. And now that we’re there, it dumps on the source material?
Still, I prefer it because it improves on the core conceit in multiple ways. The first involves focusing on Ramona. Despite Mary Elizabeth Winstead doing a fantastic job the first time, Ramona always felt shallow. She was Scott’s damsel in distress, a human prize won by defeating her emotional baggage. With Scott out of the picture, we get more of Ramona’s perspective. And I think she’s more interesting than Scott.
You heard me correctly. And yes, I get the frustration. This was Brian Lee O’Malley’s brainchild, one he slaved over for years. The movie adaptation was even filmed before the final volume was finished, such that the two versions diverged with their endings. But enough time had passed for a redo Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood-style. And now that we’re there, it dumps on the source material?
Still, I prefer it because it improves on the core conceit in multiple ways. The first involves focusing on Ramona. Despite Mary Elizabeth Winstead doing a fantastic job the first time, Ramona always felt shallow. She was Scott’s damsel in distress, a human prize won by defeating her emotional baggage. With Scott out of the picture, we get more of Ramona’s perspective. And I think she’s more interesting than Scott.
Ramona, surprisingly, is also a great detective. She’s forced into that role against her will, granted, but she rises to the task and demonstrates her proactivity. She’s a doer, a go-getter! Her dedication to Scott’s also demonstrated far more effectively. Not to mention, she has better people skills.
Another improvement involves Ramona being proactive in addressing her baggage. While witnessing Scott punch Ramona’s exes into coins was satisfying, having Ramona confront her exes and make amends is more satisfying. Remember, Ramona’s exes were dealt a bad hand due to her fickleness. By reacquainting with her exes, Ramona’s forced to fix the damage she’s caused, making for excellent storytelling.
Ramona’s exes also get more to do. They were stock archetypes meant as “bosses” for Scott to defeat initially. They were entertaining, but they weren’t interesting. By taking Scott out of the equation, they all have more time to develop as characters, making their resolutions more impactful. Not to mention, Matthew Patel performing in a musical is hilarious!
Another improvement involves Ramona being proactive in addressing her baggage. While witnessing Scott punch Ramona’s exes into coins was satisfying, having Ramona confront her exes and make amends is more satisfying. Remember, Ramona’s exes were dealt a bad hand due to her fickleness. By reacquainting with her exes, Ramona’s forced to fix the damage she’s caused, making for excellent storytelling.
Ramona’s exes also get more to do. They were stock archetypes meant as “bosses” for Scott to defeat initially. They were entertaining, but they weren’t interesting. By taking Scott out of the equation, they all have more time to develop as characters, making their resolutions more impactful. Not to mention, Matthew Patel performing in a musical is hilarious!
But the biggest strength of this change is how it adds to Ramona and Scott’s relationship. In the film, Scott and Ramona elope together and the story ends. We don’t know what happens after, though we don’t need to. Yet the decision to revisit the original ending after “The End” is a welcomed addition. It not only acknowledges that the movie’s canon, it also presents further opportunities for Scott and Ramona to grow. In keeping with the theme, marriage wasn’t kind to either of them. Considering how so many innocent romances fall apart long-term, that’s a clever twist on “Happily Ever After”.
This is all done without ruining their characters. Future Scott’s an incel, but that’s something I can imagine for him. Future Ramona, on the other hand, refuses to find out where they went wrong, which, again, is completely in-character. And I buy that Scott and Ramona’s problems wouldn’t magically disappear once they tied the knot.
That’s this show’s secret: it subverts expectations in an attempt to improve on the initial story. It’s not completely seamless, there are moments where the show’s logic and the movie’s logic don’t fully line up, but it’s not a dealbreaker. Because, in the end, it still works for what it’s attempting. Also, it retains much of the humour that made the movie great, even adding jokes that only work in animation.
This is all done without ruining their characters. Future Scott’s an incel, but that’s something I can imagine for him. Future Ramona, on the other hand, refuses to find out where they went wrong, which, again, is completely in-character. And I buy that Scott and Ramona’s problems wouldn’t magically disappear once they tied the knot.
That’s this show’s secret: it subverts expectations in an attempt to improve on the initial story. It’s not completely seamless, there are moments where the show’s logic and the movie’s logic don’t fully line up, but it’s not a dealbreaker. Because, in the end, it still works for what it’s attempting. Also, it retains much of the humour that made the movie great, even adding jokes that only work in animation.
So yeah, Scott Pilgrim Takes Off is worth it! Now, about that final scene…
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