If you are looking for vulgarity, look no farther than This Is the End. This movie will also make you laugh, hard. The basic premise of the movie is that Jay Baruchel is visiting his friend, Seth Rogan, for a fun filled weekend of getting blazed and playing video games. It's a pretty simple premise. Unfortunately for Jay, Seth has plans to go to James Franco's for the most epic of parties.
During the course of this party, Jay feels uneasy around all the famous people hanging at Franco's. He did not really want to go in the first place, but, because he's such a good friend to Seth, he tags along. It's at this party where we meet James Franco, I mean, it's his house after all, Jonah Hill, and Craig Robinson. Jay does not like any of these new people because he feels they have changed Seth for the worse. Jay's night at the party ends with him leaving to buy cigarettes.
This is where the shit hits the fan. Or, where a fan (an air conditioner really, but, they have fans) falls on a woman for being a bitch. So, Jay and Seth are in this gas station, minding their own business, having a serious talk about their friendship and this cashier tells these nice people they cannot use the bathroom. Stupid gas station people. Anyways, giant earthquake, blue beams of light, and falling air conditioners will soon be the least of the crew's worries.
Jay and Seth manage to get back to Franco's, where, everything still seems normal. It's not long until a giant sinkhole appears in the front lawn, pretty much taking down every last celebrity you can think of. Aziz Ansari, Kevin Hart, and Michael Cera meet their demise. It's funny to think that when all hell breaks loose it's the celebrities that are left behind. Not sure what that says about celebrities in general or if it's what Seth Rogen (since he wrote and directed the movie) thinks. Sure, a lot of people probably think that celebrities are these vapid, narcissists. But the movie plays into these stereotypes in a very comedic fashion. Still, there's not many things better than watching Michael Cera get stabbed with a light pole. Not because I hate Michael Cera, but because how else are you going to see George Michael get killed.
Anyway, crazy shit is going down. Everyone is in the house, bogged down and scared like a bitch. It's also funny how the movie portrays actors when shit is going down. They all admit to being pansies and good for nothings. Some of the movies best comedy comes from them being scared and practically useless. As the movie progresses, Jay and Seth's relationship take a toll. Finally, they both blow up at each other because Jay feels that Seth sold out to the LA lifestyle while Seth feels embarrassed for Jay for not changing at all. It's actually a good way to divide these two characters against one another.
Other stuff that happens is that Danny McBride shows up the morning after and wastes pretty much all their food and water because he is oblivious to what is going on outside. The group, especially Franco, all hate him. He eventually leaves the house because he was essentially voted out. But it's not until after he mentions to Franco that he will practically cum anywhere he wants to. The cumming scene probably takes the cake for the best laugh out loud moment. He reappears later in the film as a cannibal, and has another very good scene.
So, eventually, Jay realizes this is the actual apocalypse and that nobody in the group was saved. It gives the characters time to reflect how they each have lived their lives. The movie manages to balance comedy with touching moments very well. The group finds out that they can still be saved if they do something selfless. Craig Robinson is the first to really embrace this idea of selflessness as he confronts a demon head on to give the others time to get away. Before he can meet his demise, he is enveloped in the blue light from earlier in the film. He's moving on up, so they say.
One of the better moments is when the group, fully aware of this knowledge, try to each get themselves saved. Of course, Franco decides it's his turn, but manages to fuck it up because he is a cocky bastard. That was probably my personal favorite moment of the movie just because I thought to myself, that I'm pretty sure that blue light is going to just drop him back where it found him. It did. Cannibals ate him. I wonder what Green Goblin tastes like?
Jay and Seth are left and they are met by none other than the devil himself. I'm sure his hands are not idle playthings in this reality. Anyway, when death is slowly approaching, Jay and Seth reconcile their relationship. They both feel guilty for losing sight of what's important. Jay gets encased in the blue light, but Seth does not. As the devil gets nearer, Jay grabs onto Seth and starts racing toward the sky. However, the path gets slower and eventually Seth is bringing Jay down. This is Seth's redemption, he convinces Jay to let him go so he can get out of here. In one of the better uses of a song for a comedy, Seth falls, but, you know the drill by now, blue light special on Seth Rogen.
The movie says a lot about what it means to be in a friendship without actually saying much. It's the tale of two people who grow apart and live different lives. It's the story of how change, or the lack of, effects your friends perception of you. I would say that even though the movie is mostly non-stop laughing, at it's core it is a tale of redemption. Not only for Jay and Seth, but for all those who seek to right the wrongs of their past.
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