COMPETING FILMS SHOWDOWNS - This Is The End vs The World's End

Looking at film and television. Sometimes two very similar films come out close together, let's see which one is better...

Apocalypse Parties Showdown

(Match 1)

In June 2013 This Is The End was released, July saw The World's End come out.  Both saw a group of friends face the end of the world during a party.

HOW DID IT HAPPEN?

The World's End is the third in the Three Flavours Cornetto Trilogy, a thematic trilogy parodying different genres.  This Is The End is based on the short film "Jay and Seth vs The Apocalypse."  Most likely a coincidence of timing.

Round 1
TITLE

"It was something else.  It was... judgement day" ~ Jay Baruchel.
"Like Terminator 2?" ~ Seth Rogan (This Is The End).

Both are word plays on phrases and referenced to the end of days.  The World's End takes it up a notch by having the world's end occur in a pub of that name.

WINNER: THE WORLD'S END

Round 2
PLOT
"We're a bunch of best friends hanging out - it's like a sleepover." ~ Jonah Hill (This Is The End)

The end of the world comes during a party.

The World's End:  During the re-enactment of a pub crawl years earlier a group of friends realise that something weird is going on in their old home town.

This Is The End:  During a housewarming at James Franco's new house, the end of the world occurs.

TIE.

Round 3
THE PARTY
"Newton Haven... take a moment to look at it in its original colours for tonight we paint it red." ~ Gary (The World's End)

The World's End:  The Pub-crawl is a nostalgic (for some) journey, even without the end of the world it was never really going to be a successful party, but it feels real and takes up most of the film.

This Is The End:  The Hollywood Party is parody of the idea of shallow Hollywood parties at the beginning of the film.  A more successful but less desirable party.

TIE.

Round 4

APOCALYPSE

"Everyone remembers where they were when the lights went out on planet Earth.  Me, Gary, Steven and Sam we were standing right by the switch." ~ Andy (The World's End)

The World's End:  Aliens have infiltrated a small town, and many other places across the world.  When they leave things become post-apocalyptic.

This Is The End:  The actual Biblical Apocalypse.

TIE.

Round 5

HUMOR VS HUMOUR

"Your reliance on profanity is a measure of your immaturity as a man and as a species." ~ The Network (The World's End)

Many reviews of both films talk about the difference between British humour and US humor, and point out that you'll prefer one over the other depending on which you type of humour prefer.

The World's End is the third in the Simon Pegg/Edgar Wright "Three Cornettos" thematic trilogy and continues in the style of humour of the previous films Shaun of the Dead and Hot Fuzz and their earlier TV series Spaced.

This Is The End is by the Judd Apatow allumni with feel of his film, but with the created-through-improvisation feel of Mike Leigh, ending up with a Kevin Smith feel.

This Is the End is better than the average Apatow film, and The World's End isn't as good as the previous two in the trilogy.  That still leaves The World's End the better film.

  

WINNER:  THE WORLD'S END

Round 6

CHARACTERS & ACTORS

"What you're saying is that Seth, me, Jonah, Craig and Danny are a bunch of assholes." James Franco (This Is The End)

The Guys

The World's End:  Gary is obnoxious and annoying, but has a charm to him that makes you almost like him.  The rest are OK, but a little dull in comparison.

This Is The End:  The entire group is obnoxious and annoying parodies of themselves, and a very few have the charm too make them likeable.

The Girls

The World's End:  Most are window dressing, Sam does get a kick-ass driving action scene at the end.

This Is The End:  Most are window dressing, but Emma Watson does get the best moment in the film.

WINNER:  THE WORLD'S END

Round 7

ENDING

"That morning gave a whole new meaning to the word hangover." ~ Andy (The World's End)

Definitely Spoilers here.

The World's End:  Our heroes convince the aliens that the Earth isn't worth being part of their Network and leave, an Electromagnetic Pulse destroys technology.

This Is The End:  Everyone ends up in happy and in Heaven.

The EMP ending is a little unsatisfying but seems a little more interesting then the film itself, the heaven ending is silly fun, but seems a bit of a cop-out.

WINNER:  THIS IS THE END

Round 8

MORAL VICTOR

"Craig scarified himself for us, which means there's still hope we can be redeemed." ~ Jay Baruchel (This Is The End).

As stated above, both seemed to be made to cash in on better films, so neither can claim moral victory. 

TIE.

Round 9

EFFECTS.

"What is that?" ~ Steven.
"Modern Art." ~ Oliver (The World's End)

The World's End:  A smaller budget, but doesn't really show in the effects.  The effects are seldom used, but it isn't obvious that they're avoiding using them.

This Is The End:  A bigger budget, but fairly familiar effects.  Although the effects are also seldom seen in this film they are fairly obvious when they do appear.

WINNER:  THE WORLD'S END

Round 10

BOX OFFICE
"You're a fucking sell-out." ~ Jay Baruchel
"You are a fucking sell-out.  Everyone says" ~ Demon-Jonah Hill (This is the End)

US Opening Weekend (Box Office Mojo):

• The World's End:  $8,811,790.
• This Is The End:  $20,719,162.

Worldwide Gross (Box Office Mojo):

• The World's End:  $46,089,287.
• This Is The End:  $126,041,120.

Budget (Box Office Mojo):

• The World's End:  $20 million (made 230%).
• This Is The End:  $32 million (made 394%)

WINNER:  THIS IS THE END.

Round 11 
RATINGS
"I bet you hate movies that are universally loved." ~ Craig Robinson (This Is The End)

IMDb user rating:

• This Is The End:  6.8/10.
• The World's End: 7/10.

Rotten Tomatoes - Tomatometer

• This is the End:  82%.
• The World's End  89%

Rotten Tomatoes - Audience (Liked It)

• This is the End:  72%.
• The World's End  72%

Metacritic (critics)

• This is the End:  67%
• The World's End:  81%

Metacritic (users)

• This is the End:  7.1%
• The World's End:  7.6

WINNER:  THE WORLD'S END.

Round 12
SHOWDOWN REVIEWS
"Help was a lot of people sitting in a circle talking about how fucking awful things had got.  That is not my idea of a good time." ~ Gary (The World's End)

• The National Student - Film Reviews: This Is The End/The World's End/The Lime Juice Syndrome - Last orders at the bar please...:  The World's End.
• Independent Australian - Screen Themes - This Is The End vs The World's End:  This Is The End. 
• HubsPages - The World's End vs. This Is The End:  Tie.
• Hitchcock's World - It's the End of the World as We Know It... and I Feel Funny:  The World's End.
• First Showing - Looking Back: Ethan Reflects on His 13 Most Anticipated Films of 2013:  Tie.
• Mike Dunn's Film Reviews - Two For Tuesday - This Is The End/The World's End:  The World's End.

WINNER:  THE WORLD'S END.

Round 13

READER'S POLL
"Any volunteers?"  Jay Baruchel (This Is The End)

Even if you haven't seen both films, do the reader's poll.

RESULTS SO FAR
"The is the world's end, man." ~ Gary (The World's End)

THIS IS THE END:  4 (2 wins, 4 ties)

THE WORLD'S END:  8 (6 wins, 4 ties)