If there
is one aspect of comedy that is perpetually underrated, it would have to
involve celebrities portraying fictional and exaggerated versions of themselves.
So when you look at the premise of a
film like This Is the End, filled to
the brim with some of the most popular and globally recognized celebrities
working today, the potential for cinematic gold had to have both fans and
analysts absolutely giddy. Brilliantly
teased as a trailer for the sequel to Pineapple
Express, This Is the End looked
like an easy contender for funniest film of the year, especially when you
consider the filmographies of each cast member that would undoubtedly be
referenced. In framing such an
unprecedented gathering against the biblical Apocalypse, trailers featured
everything from gruesome celebrity deaths to surprisingly impressive CGI demons
and the downright awesome inclusion of Emma Watson, so mass interest had to be
piqued. As a fan of each member of the
cast and having near-memorized every line of their past collaborations, I could
not wait for This Is the End and the virtually
guaranteed plentiful laughs.
Try as I
might, I cannot think of another comedy that is start-to-finish, as unceasingly
hysterical and downright clever as This
Is the End, which is one of the funniest movies I have ever seen. It is instantaneously obvious that the cast
members are close friends off-screen, and references to those friendships
alongside barbs at hit and misses within their respective careers is nothing
short of brilliant and an absolute treat that will have fans in stitches. When it comes to the celebrities playing
fictional versions of themselves, Jonah Hill stands out as the personality most
divergent from public perception, but Danny McBride easily delivers the most
potent and raucous use of screen time.
My only qualifier would involve the fact that full enjoyment is contingent
on not only being a fan of the cast, but also being well-versed in their histories;
otherwise a good portion of the best jokes will go unnoticed. Still, This
Is the End remains an utterly hysterical comedy that handles a serious
subject matter with surprising competency…you will be laughing, but you will
also be reinforced with the desire to go to church and avoid hell on earth.
Overall
Recommendation: High
