Starring: Jay Baruchel, Seth Rogen, James Franco
Comedian and actor Jay Baruchel arrives in Los Angeles to
hang out with his friend and collaborator, Seth Rogen. Following an afternoon
of playing video games and getting stoned, they go over to James Franco’s house
for a wild star-studded party. The party comes to a premature end when a series
of natural disasters occur, signalling the possible end of days. Holed up in
James Franco’s well-structured mansion, a group of surviving comedians brave
the end of days.
An apocalyptic comedy brought to you by the group who made
Pineapple Express (2008) and Superbad (2007), This Is The End plays with
meta-elements using modern actors in American comedy to do it (although the
inclusion of Seth Rogen, Jay Baruchel and Michael Cera, all Canadians, stretches
the notion of ‘American comedy’) and it boasts a decent cast and an intriguing
premise, but the laughs never really come. The comedic style is
near-the-knuckle and is loaded with pop-culture references, but the film’s best
moments are when it lampoons the style of comedy that it admittedly doesn’t
take too seriously. For all that the film relies somewhat on star power to
provoke the humour, the cameos feel often forced or unsatisfying (Emma Watson’s
appearance really could’ve been expanded, especially since she is the film’s most
significant female role, as brief as it is) but the film just manages to move
at a pace that means you never fully lose patience with it. Fans of these
comedians and their style will enjoy this, but if you’re not a fan, it just
feels rather hollow and not very amusing.
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