This Is The End
Starring: James Franco, Seth Rogen, Jay Baruchel, Jonah Hill
Director: Seth Rogen and Evan Goldberg
Rating: 3/5
There are quite a few actors making their directorial debuts this year and Seth Rogen is one of them as he teams up with long-standing writing partner Evan Goldberg to helm their new comedy.
This Is The End follows six friends trapped in a house after a series of strange and catastrophic events devastate Los Angeles.
As the world unravels outside, dwindling supplies and cabin fever threaten to tear apart the friendships inside. Eventually, they are forced to leave the house, facing their fate and the true meaning of friendship and redemption.
It is great to see some of Hollywood’s most recognisable stars come together to take the piss out of themselves and each other; and that is exactly what has happened in This Is The End.
If you are looking for a funny and totally and outrageous comedy this summer then look no further then This Is The End as this is over the top, funny and totally unlike anything else that you will see this year.
Having said that the story does loose its way some what and the plot and the jokes really do start to fail long before the closing credits.
But this is a group of actors that are clearly having a ball as they poke fun of celebrity culture and the excesses of the Hollywood lifestyle - but never in a serious, condescending or self righteous manner.
This Is The End is one of those movies that you can just kick back and enjoy as they notch up the absurdity scene by scene.
There are also some fantastic cameos in the film; the appearances by Emma Watson, Michael Cera and Channing Tatum are the one that really do stand out.
At an hour and fifty nine minutes the movie is a little bit long and you feel that if they had shaved twenty of thirty minutes off the run time it wouldn’t flag as much as it does.
But Rogen, Goldberg and co should be praised for their originality and the way that they are more than happy to poke fun at themselves; there are also some surprisingly good special effects.
This Is The End is fun, funny, entertaining and totally original and not to be taken very seriously. And yet if I never saw this movie again I wouldn’t be that bothered.
This Is The End is out now