Review: This is the End

Celebrities are (mainly) pretty shitty people. The apocalypse is a bit of a bummer. Combine these two things and the most obvious outcome is an indulgent circle-jerk of a film, with the occasional pyre of flames and caverns opening to hell. Certainly, this is what the majority of the public expected of Seth Rogen and Evan Goldberg's directorial debut. Yet what they got was something rather different. 

Obviously, the "classic" elements of every film our ensemble (James Franco, Seth Rogen, Jay Baruchel, Jonah Hill, Danny McBride and Craig Robinson playing allegedly fictional versions of themselves) has starred in feature - weed smoking, masturbation, jokes about masturbation, bromance - yet the obviously sentimental Rogen and Goldberg do allow themselves to throw in a few moments that are fairly emotional, amidst all the chaos. Overall, its the story of the disintegration of Baruchel and Rogen's friendship - it's coincidental that the world also seems to be ending. The film also contains a surprisingly religious core that is rarely - if ever - seen in Hollywood films these days. (probably because most of Hollywood are scientologists?) As the film progresses, the gang realise that they haven't exactly lived the best of lives, and that the hellfire reigning down upon them may be a little more than just a bit earthquake. 

Most of the film can certainly be admirable as an effort from first-time directors, yet there are inevitably a few flaws. Nearly all of the film's CGI elements look pretty shlocky, so much so that it's hard to believe that this is a film released in 2013. Some sections also drag, particularly those where the characters just sit around and talk in Franco's house. Clearly, this is a trait that the two have inherited from their mentor, Judd Apatow, as This is 40 was basically 2 hours of Paul Rudd and Leslie Mann sitting around and whining about their "terrible" (pretty great) lives. Rogen and Goldberg also try to counter this with many twists and turns, some of which just feel very strange. The last 30 minutes or so of the film are very surreal, and as I left the cinema, the only thing I could think to remark was "that was a strange film".

Yet, credit where it's due, I haven't laughed as much at a film in the cinema for a LONG time. The humour, unsurprisingly, is not the most sophisticated, and not every joke hits, but when they do, they are golden. Particularly excellent are the Freaks and Geeks references scattered throughout the film ("Freaks forever!" a worringly obsessed James Franco tells Seth Rogen) and a few cameos late in the film that have astoundingly been kept secret from the public. This is the End may be a little scattered, but for some of the jokes alone, it's well worth flocking to like the world is ending. 

Grace Barber-Plentie