“Scott, if your life had a face, I would punch it.”

It's refreshing to see a comic-book adaptation that's actually... y'know... comical. Scott Pilgrim is worlds away from unrelentingly gritty graphic-novel renditions like Sin City or Watchmen, but its stylised combat and avant-garde cinematography still pack a visual punch. Although Scott's plot is straightforward, this works to its advantage: exposition is kept to a minimum, and the film's teen comedy and distinctive aesthetic take the fore.

The bumbling, nerdy Michael Cera plays bumbling, nerdy title character Scott Pilgrim as he escapes from a cringe-inducing “relationship” with a schoolgirl to court aloof, prismatic-haired leading lady, Ramona Flowers (Mary Elizabeth Winstead). Problems arise when the “League of Evil Exes” start trying to lay the smack down on Scott, à la Street Fighter, when he least expects it. He must defeat them to win her love and return to normality. Comprising all Ramona's past boyfriends (and one girlfriend), the League provides a series of boldly sketched, superpowered antagonists for Scott to dispatch with increasing panache: a fireball-hurling Pete Wentz clone, Japanese twins who summon dragons from their mixing desk, and a straight-edge bass player whose veganism imbues him with psychic powers are just a sampling of the insanity on offer.

The combat scenes are at the heart of this film, and where its comic-book ancestry shines through most, with “smack!” “punch!” “block!” and the like peppering the fast-paced duels. The film also embraces video-gaming culture with surprising comprehensiveness: bonus lives, cheesy “K.O.!” voiceovers and combo-counters stylishly evoke the arcade classics of yesteryear. Scott even “levels up” to meet emotional revelations, providing yet another neat visual metaphor.

Meanwhile, high-octane fights are held in contrast to the realities of life as a twenty-something drifter in Toronto. Far from being mundane, however, these scenes offer snappy dialogue and an array of hilariously goofy quips, keeping the laughs coming throughout.

If you're looking for elaborately realised characters, believable situations and moving drama, then search on.  If you're just after something a bit more fun, however, Scott Pilgrim’s visual flair offers a slew of laughs and gives this film 1-up on the competition.