THIS IS THE END - a movie review -
I like dark comedies A LOT. Comedies about emotionally retarded men being hedonistic and irresponsible, not so much. THIS IS THE END was co-written by two of Hollywood's Judd Appatow associates, Seth Rogen (who stars in it, as himself) and Evan Goldberg. These are the two Canadian writer-friends (since childhood) behind such movies as SUPERBAD (which I never saw) and PINEAPPLE EXPRESS (which I did, when I thought James Franco was so intriguing). This movie about the end of the world happening during a grungy, slouchy party at James Franco's house in the Hollywood Hills earned from me several out-loud guffaws, a lot of cringeing over guy humor (really, these are the go-to topics? poop and piss and semen? disgusting eating and hygiene habits?) plus drug humor, and even some tears over the bro-mance and some of the character work. Did not expect that!
It's funny that the promo photos show no fires, demons, destruction. Just the group of central actors looking scared but otherwise nicely groomed. But all the promo clips are showing explosions, possession, etc. So the world knows that this is the straight-up Biblical apocalypse.
But really did not expect to be legit creeped-out over the Rapture details. Seth and Evan are Jewish, so the End Times is not part of their upbringing, so they used the easily available source document to get up to speed on it. They did pretty good with what they used (they did cherry pick for drama's sake). They missed having the noise of the bugle call, but the event started with a crazy thunderclap. Our two stoned heroes (Seth and his friend Jay Baruchel) had walked to a convenience store near Franco's massively huge new compound. We had some quick development of some of the shoppers which set you up for: massive beams of blue light shooting down from heaven, lifting a key few in the store -- the ones who seemed helpful and polite -- a foot off the ground where they quivered a few moments, then were sucked up to heaven, right through holes burned into ceilings and roofs as if lasered. Then unmanned cars start crashing, planes start coming down, etc.
I was raised in the South as a hard-shell Baptist. These dramatic descriptions of the Rapture were a huge part of my upbringing. Note that we focused on what the Rapture might look like and feel like. Not much dwelling on the Tribulations that followed except for how awful it will be for those Left Behind. Of course, we were Saved, so we'd be whisked out of danger pretty quick. In fact, we were primed as children to await a certain Heavenly tone. If we heard that, no matter day or night, we needed to run out into the open so Heaven could take us up easier. How many dreams I had about that! Terrorized dreams! --And now that I'm pantheistic, I believe we're all getting to whatever Heaven we believe in, and that you have many many lifetimes to perfect yourself, and that the Thessalonian verses are metaphors not actual predictions.
In the movie, Jay Baruchel, who's Catholic, suspects right away what's happened. One of the funniest bits is how his theory is shouted down and dismissed in favor of more Hollywood themes ("zombies!") by his buddies. My favorite touch in the whole movie is them running back to Franco's party which is still in full swing where not a single person has experienced the blue light Rapture exit. Those crazy, self-absorbed Hollywood types! Probably that Bible verse could be updated to: It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich Hollywood partier to enter the Kingdom of Heaven.
The movie does much more with two old friends in conflict finally reconciling as its emotional spine than you would've thought, which gives this heart. Throughout most of its Act II it is a straight-up disaster flick focusing on a core group of 5, 6 or 7 (it varies for funny reasons). The guys have personality issues and are ineffectual, hysterical and immature, so they're mostly crouching together in terror, but they do make plans and try to carry them out. They don't or won't accept for a long time what's happened, but when they do, the movie actually becomes a little less inventive and surprising. The plot changes, and the mechanism of how to succeed is almost cartoonish. There are some really gross scenes of those left on earth and how animalistic they are, amidst the demons of hell hunting people down... very dark. Rated R for profanity and for these scenes.
But at the very end, something to look for, not really a spoiler, is when Seth is being terrorized by the biggest demon of all, look at what that demon is holding in its hand at the very end. A big floppy thing. Yep.
It's funny that the promo photos show no fires, demons, destruction. Just the group of central actors looking scared but otherwise nicely groomed. But all the promo clips are showing explosions, possession, etc. So the world knows that this is the straight-up Biblical apocalypse.
But really did not expect to be legit creeped-out over the Rapture details. Seth and Evan are Jewish, so the End Times is not part of their upbringing, so they used the easily available source document to get up to speed on it. They did pretty good with what they used (they did cherry pick for drama's sake). They missed having the noise of the bugle call, but the event started with a crazy thunderclap. Our two stoned heroes (Seth and his friend Jay Baruchel) had walked to a convenience store near Franco's massively huge new compound. We had some quick development of some of the shoppers which set you up for: massive beams of blue light shooting down from heaven, lifting a key few in the store -- the ones who seemed helpful and polite -- a foot off the ground where they quivered a few moments, then were sucked up to heaven, right through holes burned into ceilings and roofs as if lasered. Then unmanned cars start crashing, planes start coming down, etc.
I was raised in the South as a hard-shell Baptist. These dramatic descriptions of the Rapture were a huge part of my upbringing. Note that we focused on what the Rapture might look like and feel like. Not much dwelling on the Tribulations that followed except for how awful it will be for those Left Behind. Of course, we were Saved, so we'd be whisked out of danger pretty quick. In fact, we were primed as children to await a certain Heavenly tone. If we heard that, no matter day or night, we needed to run out into the open so Heaven could take us up easier. How many dreams I had about that! Terrorized dreams! --And now that I'm pantheistic, I believe we're all getting to whatever Heaven we believe in, and that you have many many lifetimes to perfect yourself, and that the Thessalonian verses are metaphors not actual predictions.
In the movie, Jay Baruchel, who's Catholic, suspects right away what's happened. One of the funniest bits is how his theory is shouted down and dismissed in favor of more Hollywood themes ("zombies!") by his buddies. My favorite touch in the whole movie is them running back to Franco's party which is still in full swing where not a single person has experienced the blue light Rapture exit. Those crazy, self-absorbed Hollywood types! Probably that Bible verse could be updated to: It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich Hollywood partier to enter the Kingdom of Heaven.
The movie does much more with two old friends in conflict finally reconciling as its emotional spine than you would've thought, which gives this heart. Throughout most of its Act II it is a straight-up disaster flick focusing on a core group of 5, 6 or 7 (it varies for funny reasons). The guys have personality issues and are ineffectual, hysterical and immature, so they're mostly crouching together in terror, but they do make plans and try to carry them out. They don't or won't accept for a long time what's happened, but when they do, the movie actually becomes a little less inventive and surprising. The plot changes, and the mechanism of how to succeed is almost cartoonish. There are some really gross scenes of those left on earth and how animalistic they are, amidst the demons of hell hunting people down... very dark. Rated R for profanity and for these scenes.
But at the very end, something to look for, not really a spoiler, is when Seth is being terrorized by the biggest demon of all, look at what that demon is holding in its hand at the very end. A big floppy thing. Yep.