Scott Pilgrim Takes Off TV Review

Last Updated on November 22, 2023

PLOT: Scott Pilgrim meets the girl of his dreams, Ramona Flowers, and discovers he must defeat her seven evil exes in order to date her. But this time, things get even more complicated. Based on the graphic novels by Bryan Lee O’Malley, SCOTT PILGRIM TAKES OFF revisits and reimagines the beloved cult classic, taking Ramona Flowers, her evil exes, Scott, and his friends off on a mysterious new action-packed journey to find love. 

REVIEW: While Edgar Wright may best be known for Shaun of the Dead and the other entries in the Three Flavours Cornetto trilogy Baby Driver and Last Night in Soho, his live-action take on Scott Pilgrim vs. The World remains a cult favorite. Despite critical acclaim, the film never achieved much box office success but has grown a fanbase in the thirteen years since its release. Over a decade later, Wright and comic book creator Bryan Lee O’Malley have teamed up for an anime adaptation that expands on the source material and does so with the full feature film voice cast reprising their roles. Scott Pilgrim Takes Off is a fun and energetic take on graphic novels that not only makes for a satisfying expansion of the books but also adds a unique layer to the live-action film unlike any remake, sequel, or reboot ever could.

The eight episodes that comprise Scott Pilgrim Takes Off starts very much in line with the graphic novel and the feature film. We meet Scott (Michael Cera), who lives with his roommate Wallace (Kieran Culkin) while practicing with his band Sex Bom-omb. When Scott begins dreaming about Ramona Flowers (Mary Elizabeth Winstead), he never expects to meet her at a party. The pair begin a casual flirtation that ignites sparks between them. As the pair get closer, the fact that Scott is dating high schooler Knives Chau (Ellen Wong) becomes an issue when she and Ramona show up to a big performance by Scott and his band. Scott is confronted by Matthew Patel (Satya Bhabha), the first of Ramona’s evil exes assembled by billionaire ex-boyfriend Gideon Graves (Jason Schwarzman). As Scott reluctantly fights Matthew, the similarities between the comic and movie change. From the ending of the first episode through the finale, nothing else about Scott Pilgrim Takes Off is what you will expect.

First and foremost, comparing the performances in the first episode to the movie is interesting as everyone has a slight difference in their delivery. Because this is an animated adaptation, the tone and style impact each actor’s delivery in a way that allows them to be recognizable as their character but with a different maturity in the decade since they last played these roles. In fact, so much about this series is unexplored territory that it cannot really be viewed as a remake or a sequel. It is probably best to imagine Scott Pilgrim Takes Off as an alternate timeline take on this story, which alters everything that comes after. Relationships are different, interactions have changed, and the focus is noticeably shifted towards Ramona Flowers and the League of Evil Exes members, especially in the early episodes. From the top down, everyone gets more layers to their roles in keeping with the backstories included in the graphic novel, but while their histories are the same, their actions moving forward are quite different. The expansion also transforms minor characters like Kim Pine (Allison Pill) and Young Neil (Mark Webber) into important components of the plot while the narrative direction changes drastically for Julie Powers (Aubrey Plaza), Roxie Richter (Mae Whitman), and Wallace Wells.

I won’t spoil any of the substantial twists in Scott Pilgrim Takes Off. Still, I will tell you that they allow for the inclusion of new characters not in the comic or the movie, including a pair of cameos that connect this universe to another series directly connected to the creative talent involved. At first, I was unsure how I felt about this being so different from the source material, but as soon as Jason Schwartzman, Mae Whitman, Brandon Routh, and Chris Evans got more to do than ham it up as one-and-done villains, I was all in. So much of this story is now a character-based tale instead of a video game, and anime comes to life, which adds a sincere level of depth to the whole ensemble that I never realized was missing from the big screen take. With each of the six episodes clocking in at just under half an hour, this full series still clocks in at about twenty more minutes than Scott Pilgrim vs. the World, yet it manages to dive far deeper into every angle of the story than the movie did. In that sense, this series works as a complement to the movie rather than a replacement.

With animation by Japan-based Science SARU, Scott Pilgrim Takes Off is directed by anime veteran Abel Gongora, who most recently helmed an entry in Star Wars Visions. The script comes from Bryan Lee O’Malley and BenDavid Grabinski (Are you Afraid of the Dark?), who seamlessly adapt the comic book along with elements of the live-action film while also expanding the story in unique ways, especially in regards to Ramona’s exes. Gongora gives the series a look and feel straight from the original graphic novel while utilizing modern techniques that emulate Edgar Wright’s stylistic movie approach. The series also uses songs from the feature film and character designs that combine the source material and the prior adaptation. Altogether, this is such a cool way to tackle the material that is simultaneously an homage and a new take. Before watching this, I reread the books and watched Wright’s film, and this is a wonderful new vision that every fan will enjoy. If you are someone who cannot get past animation, you are going to miss out on this one.

Scott Pilgrim Takes Off is a fun, refreshing, and unique take on a story you think you know. The story takes on new layers by presenting it in a different way, and each actor gets to play with their previous portrayals differently. While the new twists on the tale may be a bit too out there for some movie fans, Scott Pilgrim Takes Off is pure and unadulterated anime craziness in the best way possible. The animation style is kinetic and fun, the action is even more intense than before, and the pop culture references are aplenty. While a live-action sequel would have been fun, this is an incredible way to follow up a beloved adaptation by adding to its legacy rather than changing it. Scott Pilgrim Takes Off showcases one of the best casts assembled in a new way while offering a slew of cameos and easter eggs that will keep every fan happy.

Scott Pilgrim Takes Off premieres on November 17th on Netflix.

Scott Pilgrim Takes Off

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