Review: This is the End

You gotta be careful with a flick like THIS IS THE END, because it’s easy to fall into the trap of prematurely calling it a classic.  The concept, the cast, cameos and even the stakes at play all promise a film that could easily be a total disaster.  Instead it soars.  It’s one of the funniest comedies I’ve seen in forever, and really pulls the pants down on the tired formulaic schtick that flicks like THE INTERNSHIP keep serving up.  This will almost certainly turn out to be the best comedy of the year.

The set up is simple.  Seth Rogen and Jay Baruchel meet up for a hang out day in L.A. then move onto a party at James Franco’s new house that evening.  Tension is set up early with the easy going Rogen just wanting to party and get along; while Baruchel, who comes across more and more like a vacuum packed Christian Slater, is increasingly uncomfortable with the glossy veneer of tinseltown.  Before you know it however, petty frustrations have to take a back seat as the Apocalypse, more or less as described in the Bible, starts.

If you’re worried I’ve spoiled anything don’t be; that all happens in the first 20 minutes.  After a delightful massacre of a slew of celebrity cameos that includes a memorable turn by Michael Cera playing himself as a coke addled fucktard, we settle into the the core cast, and how they deal with being stuck in a house with limited resources facing the end of the world.  James Franco, Craig Robinson, Jonah Hill, Danny McBride, Rogen and Baruchel defy the odds by playing hyper-realistic versions of their perceived personas.  It could have been a one trick gag that got old quick, but instead they play it perfectly.

The cast gamely allow themselves to be the butt of all manner of jabs, but never fall into caricature.  It’s difficult to express how important that is to the film’s success.  Nobody’s getting any Oscars from this flick (though we get many a MONEYBALL reference to take the piss out of Hill), but make no mistake.  There is a very fine line these guys have to walk for their performances to work, and to a man they do so perfectly.

I want to tread lightly here, because a lot of the joy of the film is discovering its many surprises.  Some have already been spoiled in trailers and interviews.  Suffice to say a film about the apocalypse should ultimately be pretty epic, and THIS IS THE END does not disappoint in that regard.  Quick shout out to the f/x crew who do a better job than some summer blockbusters at making the insane events at play feel grounded.

Of course, the only thing that really matters is how funny it is, and it’s really damn funny.  I saw this at a matinee with a theater that was only about a quarter full and found myself lulzing a lot.  In a packed theater I expect it would play even better.  You’ll miss a ton of jokes because of the laughing, but hey, this is one you’re gonna want to rewatch a ton on DVD anyway to catch all the subtle nods and inside jokes.

So is this the birth of a classic?  I think so.  Pro tip though, show up early if you want concessions.  That line is going to be a long one.