This is the End (2013)
Certified: 16
Duration: 106 minutes
Directed by: Seth Rogen and Evan Goldberg
Starring: Seth Rogen, Jay Baruchel, James Franco, Craig Robinson, Jonah Hill, Danny McBride, Emma Watson, Michael Cera, Rihanna
KRS release

First of all, in this movie most of the actors play themselves. Secondly, in the madness, absurdity and chaos of this end-of-the-world film there are bucketloads of sinful fun to be had.

When a movie comes along that is so unpredictable and has a cast that are so obligingly ready to take the mickey out of themselves and their screen persona, it becomes very difficult not to get keeled over.

Jay Baruchel has just come to LA to meet up with his friend Seth Rogen. The two decide to go to a party that James Franco is throwing. Jay goes only reluctantly, because the Hollywood scene is not his cup of tea.

At Franco’s house they meet Jonah Hill, Emma Watson, Craig Robinson and Michael Cera. The latter is trying to get a thing going with Rihanna. Jay is not all that comfortable and asks Seth to go with him for cigarettes.

At the store explosions shatter everything around; blue lights zap in from above, sucking people into them.

Jay and Seth run back to the party and there too chaos ensues. In the middle of everything a large hole opens up, a hole that seems to lead to hell, putting panic into all.

James, Jay, Jonah, Craig and Jay end up closing the door and entrenching themselves in while chaos grips LA and monsters roam the land. Meanwhile the survivors discover that they have another visitor in the form of Danny McBride, who is as obnoxious as ever and they have to live with him!

Rogen makes his directorial debut, albeit in a co-directorial role, but immediately leaves his mark. The film is a departure from the Judd Apatow style of movies that Rogen is associated with, in the sense that This is the End is even better paced and is side-splittingly funny in an intermittent manner.

The film does not have the ulterior agenda to try to be respectable; its focus is simply on letting loose. From what happens on screen Rogen has let his assembled friends roar. He gathered around him a group of chums who are quite into the movie and, judging by screen events, there was a lot of fun during shooting.

This marks a sort of return to what Frank Sinatra used to do with his Rat Pack, George Clooney with his Ocean’s Eleven movies and now Rogen is doing it, with the difference that this seems to be more improvised, less planned and in the ensuing chaos the result is gleeful.

Apart from the main cast, one needs to also take into account the large amount of cameos in the film, from Paul Rudd to Christopher Mintz-Plasse to Aziz Ansari, all familiar faces from recent comedy hits. It is fun to see nearly everyone playing themselves, making the line between screen personality and characterisation quite a flimsy one.

However, the main thing that is to be liked about This is the End is how much the film is self-aware and is kicking its cast, Hollywood, the artists’ snobbism and sometimes over-the-top grandstanding.

More importantly, starting from Rogen himself, the actors here do not take themselves seriously and do not act as Hollywood prima-donnas at all. Channing Tatum is the best example of this, while Watson is a hoot with the line “Hermione jacked our food” destined to become a classic.

It’s also the first time that McBride has emerged to be somewhat likeable on screen.

All in all, This is the End surprises by being so consistent and intermittent in its idea of fun.