'This Is the End' is 'Hysterical,' Say Critics; Comedians Play Themselves in Film
'This Is The End,' directed by Seth Rogen and Evan Goldberg, stars celebrities like James Franco, Seth Rogen, Craig Robinson, Jonah Hill, and Emma Watson playing themselves in an end-of-the-world scenario. Critics have been praising the new comedy-star-studded movie coming out everywhere on June 12.
"'This is the End' is a solid debut for Golberg and Rogen as directors, and an over effective compilation of everything that people loved … about their previous screenplays," says ScreenRant.com. Goldberg and Rogen have previously worked together on numerous movies including "Pineapple Express" and "Superbad."
The Los Angeles Times also thought the film was "hysterical."
"From the clockwork comic timing to the movie's salty mix of the ridiculous and the reflective, 'This Is the End' is stupidly hysterical and smartly heretical. Cross my heart and hope to die, it's funny as hell," wrote Betsy Sharkey.
Some are worried that "This is the End" will be too similar to Rogen's other movies, and just another gross-out bro comedy. USA Today admits there are some elements of that, but the originality and humor of the movie prevails.
"Yes, it's raunchy and outrageous, but the gags add up to a viable, laugh-filled story of camaraderie and cataclysm," wrote Claudia Puig of USA Today.
On the uniqueness of the film, Puig said "it's an inspired idea: blending a disaster movie with a wacked-out comic bromance in which actors portray caricatures of themselves." After all, it's not often that a movie consists of every actor playing themselves.
"This is the End" is rated R and has a run time of 107 minutes. It hits theaters everywhere June 12.
