Sadly this brings the Pegg-Frost-Wright Blood & Ice Cream Trilogy to a gratifying end by putting an English spin on the current “end of the world” genre being done to death. Actually, it’s more accurately an alien invasion movie (commercials spoiled this, not me).
I liked how Pegg and Frost traded places with their roles: Simon is the screwup and Nick is the responsible adult. Pegg’s character isn’t as likable though; he’s a domineering alcoholic bully cajoling his four best buddies from high school into reliving a memory he needs closure on. Maybe it’s part of the 12-steps. It’s also humorous how five middle-aged men start to revert to their old roles.
There is some cutting commentary on how stereotypical English culture is getting Coca Colonized through its pubs (or what one chum calls the Starbucks strategy); you’ll see it through observation.
Other amusing messages are interjected throughout, especially near the ending. I think World did a way better job making the point of “you can’t relive the past” a hundred times more effectively than The Great Gatsby (2013).
Alamo Extras: Clips from Pegg and Frost’s comedy skit show, clips from Spaced, the trailer to the British disaster movie The Day the Earth Caught Fire, a Housemartins video (the man who became better known as Fatboy Slim was in this band) and several Cornetto commercials (it’s the ice cream treat Shaun buys at the convenience store).