Alien invasions work in almost any context on the big screen. They can be funny, scary, action-packed, or anything in between. A skilled filmmaker might be able to run the gamut between each tone. Edgar Wright's 2013 entry into the subgenre is hilarious, tense, harrowing, and emotionally satisfying. The World's End hasn't captured the cult classic status it deserves, but a decade later, fans should give it a look back.
Edgar Wright has only written and directed eight films in his almost 30-year-long career. From his early work in sitcoms to his most recent psychological horror offering, he's been a beloved talent with a catalog of weird ideas. Though he's put out several fascinating projects, he's still best remembered for his collaborations with Simon Pegg and Nick Frost.
What is The World's End About?
In the summer of 1990, Gary King led his five closest friends, Oliver Chamberlain, Peter Page, Steven Prince, and Andrew Knightley, on a legendary pub crawl called the Golden Mile. Participants were expected to drink a pint at all 12 pubs covering their tiny hometown of Newton Haven. Though they fell three pubs short of the achievement, Gary saw it as the best night of his life. Decades later, the now 40-year-old recovering alcoholic Gary King seeks out his old friends to return to Newton Haven and attempt the Golden Mile again.
Gary swiftly discovers that his friends haven't been as stagnant as he was. Oliver has become a successful estate agent. Peter inherited his dad's car dealership. Steven is an architect. Andy became a corporate lawyer and gave up drinking after a drunk driving accident. Gary gradually tricks each of his friends into accompanying him back to Newton Haven, but like its former residents, the town has changed. Though they see people they recognize, no one seems to remember them. The bars have lost their personality, and every menu is identical. The town has been gentrified, but the locals are acting strange. Meanwhile, Gary's lies are exposed, and the group prepares to leave him behind. Just as the pub crawl is falling apart, Gary gets into a fight with a teenager in the bathroom. Gary knocks the kid's head clean off, revealing a spout of vibrant blue blood.
Gary, Andy, Peter, Steven, Oliver, and Oliver's sister Sam discover that the entire population of Newton Haven has been abducted and replaced by perfect copies. These "blanks" resemble their targets physically, but they lack any of the sharp edges of their personality. Once the men discover the android takeover of the town, they realize that if they try to stop it, they'll likely be replaced. The only way to blend in is to do exactly as they said they would; continue the pub crawl. The returning heroes must discover the truth of Newton Haven's fate or struggle to get out alive, all while drinking themselves into a stupor.
What is the Cornetto Trilogy?
Edgar Wright's three collaborations with Simon Pegg and Nick Frost come together to form the "Three Flavours Cornetto Trilogy." Their working relationship started with the 1996 series Asylum, but they became more famous for their 1999 sitcom Spaced. Wright then directed Pegg and Frost in Shaun of the Dead, a spoof of Romero's zombie horror classics mixed with a romantic comedy. They followed that project with Hot Fuzz, a comedic take on American police action films that took place in a small English village. The Worlds End was initially a 1995 script entitled Crawl, but in the early 2010s, Wright and Pegg rewrote the idea into a commentary on youth and aging. The films are called the Cornetto Trilogy as a reference to Krzysztof Kieślowski's Three Colours trilogy. Each film features a Cornetto ice cream wrapper in an appropriate color. Red for Shaun of the Dead, blue for Hot Fuzz, and green for The World's End.
How Does The World's End End?
As Gary, Andy, Peter, Steven, Oliver, and Sam continue the Golden Mile, they discover that the blanks are part of a long-term alien invasion. The blanks are perfect copies of their targets, but they can't replicate physical or emotional imperfections. Oliver is the first to be taken. Gary sends Sam off on her own, letting her escape. Gary insists on completing the Golden Mile. Pete is captured shortly thereafter, leaving Andy and Steven to chase Gary. Steven is captured during the chase. When Andy finally grabs Gary, he discovers his wristband from rehab and the bandages from a recent suicide attempt. Gary has given up on life, having never found happiness as he did on that day in 1990. With nothing left to lose, he'll complete the Golden Mile if it kills him.
Gary accidentally finds the alien headquarters and learns of their grand plan The aliens intend to replace every human on Earth with a blank, wiping out the imperfections that make humanity what it is. Gary fights back, arguing for reckless freedom in the face of oppressive perfectionism. After a vicious shouting match, the alien surrenders, choosing to leave Earth rather than continue talking to Gary King. The alien leaves behind an electromagnetic pulse, which knocks out power for everyone on Earth, creating a new post-apocalyptic dark age. The blanks remain, but they're now disconnected from the network and free to find their own lives. Andy returns to his life and repairs his rocky marriage. Steven settles down with Sam after a lifelong unrequited romance. Oliver and Peter's blanks return to their lives. Blanks are hated and mistrusted by the remaining human population, but they have a defender. Somewhere out in the wasteland, Gary King leads a band of blanks into a new adventure.
The World's End is a strange film that doesn't fit perfectly with the other Cornetto entries. It's a fast-paced sci-fi film about some deep subject matter. All the while, it's also a raucous comedy packed with excellent performances. Simon Pegg and Nick Frost are at their best, Edgar Wright's direction is masterful, and the film is as sharp a genre pastiche as Shaun or Hot Fuzz. The World's End deserves a look back. It's the kind of thing that doesn't come along often, and returning to it a decade after its release to see how things have changed is within its spirit.