It might appear shallow, but Edgar Wright’s comic-book adaptation of Scott Pilgrim vs. the World incorporates pop culture allusions (Seinfeld and Eternal Sunshine of a Spotless Mind) and music for fun.

The film has a three-act narrative, portrayed as a progressive seven-level video game. Look for each level number, cleverly hidden in costumes and the background.

Once Scott begins fighting Ramona’s seven evil exes, we lose a little of the character interaction that makes the film interesting.

In the first half hour, we have a real sense of Scott Pilgrim as a self-obssessed dweeb. Then fight scenes and level-oriented victories replace character development with the achievement of trophies.

These trophies include Ramona, even though Scott’s relationship with Knives Chau is the more believable.

The Beck plus Metric and Broken Social Scenes soundtrack is the film’s musical and creatively visual triumph.

It’s not a Will Ferrell comedy where you can’t do anything but laugh. Its sense of fun is so infectious you don’t want to do anything else but laugh.