This Is The End
Starring: Seth Rogen, James Franco, Emma Watson, Michael Cera, Danny McBride, Channing Tatum, Jonah Hill (Rated MA – 107 mins).
It’s not everyday you see a movie when a galaxy of current Hollywood A-list stars happily play obnoxious versions of themselves. The premise revolves around Seth Rogen picking up his fellow Canadian friend Jay Baruchel at LA international before reluctantly heading to a big party at James Franco’s new mansion. Happy to tell his friends the architecture is earthquake proof solid and the open plan design is ‘transparent’, Franco wants everyone to enjoy his new abode. The soiree is huge; resembling a modern Animal House, full of the Gen-Y beautiful people consuming an abundance of drugs, alcohol and whatever else to run amok.
Swinging from the rafters, things are getting out of control on the inside, but nobody is noticing what’s happening outside. Seth and Jay decide to take a quick trip to a corner convenience store when pandemonium hits the trendy subdivision. The apocalypse has begun, lightning and brimstone is blasting overhead while sink holes appear with a fiery beeline direct to hell. A variety of inebriated guests bustle out front to witness the commotion only to disappear into the ground or get sucked up into the air by beaming blue lights. The few who survive the initial onslaught find themselves trapped inside with limited supplies of food, but an abundance of other essentials, including recreational enhancers.
The unpredictable freewheeling nature of this comedy along with cameo stunt casting of an array of young stars being inappropriate, makes this the funniest film of the year. Under duress they fight, but its handbags at ten paces for these spoilt actors. Being confined creates resentment towards each other reaching boiling point, a crude lewd James Franco leads the way. Be warned admirers of Channing Tatum and those matinee idol looks, you may never look at him the same way again.
Remembering an innocent Emma Watson waving a magical wand around in Harry Potter could be a thing of the past when you see her actions in this. Nothing is sacred in their frank discussions from religion to bodily fluids to sexual preferences to milky way bars, expect the unexpected. Nods to Ghostbusters and The Exorcist are amusing to spot for film buffs, while the unexpected heaven sent promenade finale caps of a strictly adults only vaudeville.
Shane A.Bassett
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