I admit I haven't seen or read the Scott Pilgrim graphic novels or film, but from what little I have seen, it seems like it might be some sort of elaborate geek revenge fantasy?
The more detached I feel from geek culture in general, the less I find that sort of thing appealing in any way--I have no desire to check it out.
I wonder why, though? Certainly the end of the Odyssey could be read as revenge fantasy--he brutally kills all the people who encroached on his Manly Territory. A lot of action movies/books/video games operate this way.
1. Guy is wronged/girl is stolen/whatever. 2. Training montage! 3. Guy gets his own back through violence.
Is revenge okay if it's presented through a sufficiently masculine frame? Is geek revenge more worrisome because it upsets the social order? Or is it the whole Nice Guy thing, which paints the hero as calm, shy and apparently docile, but with a very nasty and violent core underneath?
Having read the comics, I'd say your impression is entirely wrong.
Scott actually "gets" Ramona in the first volume of the comics. The only reason he fights is to defend himself against The League of Ramona's Evil Ex-Boyfriends, and they will only stop attacking if he agrees to dump Ramona. Scott is literally fighting for love.
Scott far from "shy" or particularly nice. That could just be the Michael Cera touch, but the character has many, many friends and is in a band. He's certainly lighthearted, but one of the major plot points is his repeated cruelty to others. I don't think it was ever intentional (does that qualify him as "nice"?). Some times he hurts others due to laziness, other times because he's an idiot, but mostly because he has a terrible memory and repeats mistakes.
If it's in the 25% of movie adaptations of comic books that are true to the comic, I will stand thoroughly corrected (though if it is as you say, then casting Michael Cera in the titular role wasn't the best move.)
Fair enough, though nothing I've seen in the trailers differs in a notable way from the comics.
And yeah, Michael Cera might have been a bad choice, considering his inability to play anyone but George-Michael. But then again, Scott Pilgrim isn't entirely unlike a lazy older George-Michael who spent too much time around GOB.
i read the comic and i can't find anything good to say about it, it really doesn't make any sense to me. Scott Pilgrim isn't even a nice guy, nor his girlfriend is: they lie, cheat, use.. in your words, the fact the lots of people find them sympathetic and 'epic' worries me
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The more detached I feel from geek culture in general, the less I find that sort of thing appealing in any way--I have no desire to check it out.
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1. Guy is wronged/girl is stolen/whatever.
2. Training montage!
3. Guy gets his own back through violence.
Is revenge okay if it's presented through a sufficiently masculine frame? Is geek revenge more worrisome because it upsets the social order? Or is it the whole Nice Guy thing, which paints the hero as calm, shy and apparently docile, but with a very nasty and violent core underneath?
Sorry, just random thoughts...
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Scott actually "gets" Ramona in the first volume of the comics. The only reason he fights is to defend himself against The League of Ramona's Evil Ex-Boyfriends, and they will only stop attacking if he agrees to dump Ramona. Scott is literally fighting for love.
Scott far from "shy" or particularly nice. That could just be the Michael Cera touch, but the character has many, many friends and is in a band. He's certainly lighthearted, but one of the major plot points is his repeated cruelty to others. I don't think it was ever intentional (does that qualify him as "nice"?). Some times he hurts others due to laziness, other times because he's an idiot, but mostly because he has a terrible memory and repeats mistakes.
So yeah… no.
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And yeah, Michael Cera might have been a bad choice, considering his inability to play anyone but George-Michael. But then again, Scott Pilgrim isn't entirely unlike a lazy older George-Michael who spent too much time around GOB.
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Scott Pilgrim isn't even a nice guy, nor his girlfriend is: they lie, cheat, use.. in your words, the fact the lots of people find them sympathetic and 'epic' worries me
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