THIS IS THE END (director/writer: Seth Rogen/Evan Goldberg; cinematographer: Brandon Trost; editor: Zene Baker; music: Henry Jackman; cast: James Franco (James Franco) Jonah Hill (Jonah Hill), Seth Rogen (Seth Rogen), Jay Baruchel (Jay Baruchel), Danny McBride (Danny McBride), Craig Robinson (Craig Robinson), Michael Cera (Michael Cera), Emma Watson (Emma Watson), Jason (Segal); Runtime: 107; MPAA Rating: R; producers: James Weaver/Seth Rogen/Evan Goldberg; Sony Pictures; 2013)
“A revoltinggross-out comedy, whose humor is witless, scatological and childish.”

Reviewed by Dennis Schwartz

A revoltinggross-out comedy, whose humor is witless, scatological and childish. Co-directors and co-writers Seth Rogen and Evan Goldberg, writing partners on Superbad, make their directing debut. It’s an end of the world comedy about six egotistical and flawed Hollywood actor friends trapped in James Franco’s luxury town house as an apocalypse destroys Los Angeles. The five party guests of Franco are Seth Rogen, Jay Baruchel, Danny McBride, Jonah Hill, and Craig Robinson. There are also uninteresting cameos by Michael Cera, Jason Segel and Emma Watson.

The fire-and-brimstone scenario eliminates Franco’s hipster party-goers but Franco and his five favorite nerd guests survive to entertain us with stupid and unfunny gags about themselves, masturbating, drinking piss, dealing with aliens and being misunderstood as to whether or not they intended to rape Emma Watson (a pathetic attempt at humor).

The heavy-handed and amateurishly directed film never finds a rhythm for its forced crude humor or awkward attempt at biblical pathos. The bro-romance between Seth and Jay was a bore, and the climax with the Backstreet Boys welcoming Franco’s joker weed-smoking boys to heaven ended on a note of stupidity. The inconsequential farce is a bomb.

REVIEWED ON 6/16/2013 GRADE: C-

Dennis Schwartz: “Ozus’ World Movie Reviews”

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