This Is the End

A homemade movie by a bunch of friends which was meant to remain undiscovered, the same way as all other homemade movies are. As funny as it sounds on the paper, the realization came out pretty flaky. Rogen and Goldberg should have had the sense not to let themselves stand behind the camera. It all holds together purely thanks to the cast. Everybody, without exception, is clearly having fun. Which is also the reason why I concentrate more on the bonus materials and reviews rather than on the movie itself which, in its humor and style, is on exactly the same wave as everything else that Rogen has written so far. (20/09/2013)

In probably the first film since Tropic Thunder, this is a film whose creators I would believe even if they told me in a hackneyed way: “We all enjoyed filming it, a great bunch of people came together." Except for a few moments when the jokes were awkward, I actually had fun from beginning to end (and more and more towards the end); and look, Jonah Hill is responsible for one of the very best moments of This Is the End. (30/01/2021)

The comedy of the year so far. Incorrect and vulgar, but smart. Self-aware and meta, but not forced. Here applies that the more you know (about the actors and the roles they usually play in their movies), the more you will laugh, as long as you are not a bore. But then, not everyone handles scatological and incorrect humour with the grace of Seth Rogen :) (29/09/2013)

Smarter than most viewers are willing to admit. Rogen's humor goes over the edge many times, but who can be mad when it's done in such a self-deprecating and ironic way. The studio execs must have freaked out at the test screening, which makes me wish Rogen and his crew all the more for the commercial success they've had overseas. Deservedly so, it’s probably the most sincere A-film to come out of the "dream factory" in years. (16/09/2013)

The funniest moment of This Is the End is when Michael Cera smacks Rihanna's ass. The boys had fun with this one. Laughing with them in their “real” presence at dick jokes and sincere critical self-reflection has potential to be cool entertainment, but it would need a more sophisticated screenplay. This seems slapped together spontaneously in one evening and revisited only on the set. Casting is not everything. The penis-demon in the climax and the final song are good. (08/11/2013)