This is the End

I really knew nothing about the new film This is the End other than the slimmest of plot. It stars Seth Rogen and James Franco and other actors in their circle. What I knew was that it was a comedy where the actors essentially play themselves, or more correctly caricatures/send-ups of themselves. What I didn't know that it was an "apocalyptic comedy"--Rogen, Franco and their friends hole up in Franco's home when the apocalypse happens.

The bones of the plot is that Jay Baruchel, a friend of Rogen's, comes to L.A. to hang out with him. Not being among the circle of Rogen's newer Hollywood friends like Franco and Jonah Hill, Jay doesn't like the partying culture and really just wants him and Seth to spend time alone, even if it is is mindless pursuits like smoking pot and playing video games. Seth instead convinces the reluctant Jay to go to a housewarming party at James Franco's new place, where we see James has a weird love obsession with Seth, and guest Jonah Hill is too nice to Jay, leading Jay to suspect he is two-faced in some way. During the party, the rapture happens, taking all the devout and pious, and as expected almost all of Hollywood is left behind on Earth to be swallowed into hell or worse. The party guests of course are oblivious as being all immoral people none of them are raptured and they don't know what's been going on outside the doors.

Jay, being more sensible than the rest, tells them that there is a slim chance they can survive and be good enough in their last hours to get raptured too. But they have to beat back demons and deal with the new Hollywood which is afire and crumbling into hell.


This group of six survivors (the aforementioned four actors and Danny McBride and Craig Robinson have to work together to survive. Other celebrities playing themselves make cameos or have a bit more of a substantial supporting role--Emma Watson of the Harry Potter films briefly is rescued by them but hears them talking and believe they want to rape her, leading her to feel she has a better chance of survival outdoors; Michael Cera is at the housewarming party where we see he is an outrageous nympho and drug addict. Other celebrity cameos you might know include Jason Segel, Paul Rudd, Channing Tatum and the Backstreet Boys.

This movie was actually surprisingly funny and included all the tropes of a disaster or even some of a horror movie. The plot from time to time returns to the theme of the disintegrated friendship between Baruchel and Rogen in which we are in no doubt will be repaired by the end of the film. There is some vulgarity with demons and urine and masturbating (and I'm sure other things like maiming and decapitation are offensive too, but it is all played for laughs), and although very outrageous, it is all very funny.