This review contains minor spoilers for The World’s End.

It’s hard to believe, but it’s been nearly 10 years since writer/actor Simon Pegg, actor Nick Frost and writer/director Edgar Wright made a splash in the US with their theatrical debut, Shaun of the Dead. While the trio never intended to create a “trilogy”, with the incorporation of the British favorite Cornetto ice cream treat in both Shaun and the follow-up action film homage Hot Fuzz, an unofficial one was born which comes to an end here with, appropriately titled, The World’s End.

If Shaun of the Dead is a film about entering your thirties, The World’s End is about your life once you’re in them.  Set 23 years after a “legendary” pub crawl which never arrived at the final location, lead character Gary King (Simon Pegg) looks to get his crew of five friends back together again, to finish what they started, the so-called “Golden Mile”, a trip across 12 pubs in their hometown.  Of course, 23 years have changed the gang, with most of the gang having grown up, had wives and kids…all except Gary.

Gary King is a unique change for Pegg’s roles in the Cornetto films so far. As opposed to the straight man, King is honestly, a lost cause of a character.  A 90’s goth, he’s never outgrown the role, still having jet black died hair and wearing his favorite trenchcoat.  He never grew beyond that pub crawl, and given that our first glimpse of him is at an Alcoholics Anonymous meeting, his life never was happier than in that moment, so you understand his motivations to re-live that night, as outrageously selfish as they become.  This is the strongest difference between The World’s End and the two films prior - the internal darkness to the film.  While Shaun hinted at this before (honestly, take a step back and look at the ending - how much did Shaun truly grow up?), in this film you’re met with a protagonist who is truly sad and pathetic.

That said, it’s an incredible testament to the writing of Pegg and Wright, plus a brilliant performance by Pegg and the amazing supporting cast filling the rest of the roles, that Gary King never grates.  On the direct opposite end of Gary King is his former best friend, Andy Knightly, played by Nick Frost.  Frost again subverts his typical role, being the straight man, and serving as the one to call Pegg out on his issues.  Gary and Andy were as close as Nicholas Angel and Danny Butterman, or Shaun and Ed, but some key moment in their past split them, and you can feel the not-so-healed scars.  But once the gang is back together, including Peter (a wonderfully meek Eddie Marsan), Steven (a cool, calm and collected Paddy Considine), and Oliver (an aloof Martin Freeman), you truly understand why they were so close, and the chemistry is palpable.

In fact, the enjoyment of seeing these old friends hash out old issues over a long-lost-pub-crawl is enough to make you want to see the film play out this way…but then Pegg and Wright’s old friend, the genre twist, comes into play.

In a brilliant move, the old adage of not being able to go home again is subverted, as that feeling in your stomach that the world you knew has been turned into a shallow copy of what it once was, in this instance is true.  The film takes a decidedly sci-fi bent, and somehow mixes this incredible film about the difficulties of friendship as you grow old with remarkable action and brilliant destruction, and yet never feels pandering.

As usual, The World’s End is a film designed for multiple viewings, with dozens of visual gags and dialogue with hidden double meanings. Every frame is filled with more information than you realize on the first view. To give an idea - once you’ve seen the film, take a look over the names of the pubs, and their signs.  You’d be surprised what matches up.  Heck, you’ll have a good time just looking for other Spaced, Shaun and Fuzz cast members hidden among the film.

If I were to point at a weakness of the film, it would be the relative lack of use for Sam (Rosamund Pike). A former flame of Gary’s, who also happens to be Oliver’s sister…and Steven’s crush, she never really rises above “the female”.  Given how brilliantly Pegg and Wright wrote Daisy in Spaced, its a shame this trilogy has yet to have a female character that stood out as much.  But perhaps they only intended to focus on the relationships of the core five.

Never the less, that issue aside, The World’s End is a wonderful wrap up to the Cornetto Trilogy.  While the movie takes some darker and sadder turns along the way, it matches them with brilliant humor, solid performances and ridiculous action.  Simon Pegg, Nick Frost and Edgar Wright have over three films created the definitive statement on growing old for this pop culture fused generation, and I cannot wait to see what they dream up next.  Highest possible recommendation.