The World's End 2013

As the sun sets over Newton Haven, Gary King (Simon Pegg), a former addict still grappling with the demons of his past, sets out on a mission to reunite with his estranged school-friends and finally complete the infamous “Golden Mile”, a grueling pub crawl that has haunted their collective psyche since adolescence. Joined by Peter Page, Oliver “O-Man” Chamberlain, Steven Prince, and Andy Knightley (Nick Frost), Gary returns to his hometown with an unspoken agenda: to recapture the fleeting glory of youth.

The group’s reunion at The Old Familiar pub is short-lived, however, as Gary’s attempt to rekindle old flames with Oliver’s sister Sam (Rosamund Pike) is met with a resounding slap. Undeterred, they press on, stumbling upon an unexpected interlude in the toilets of The Cross Hands, where Gary finds himself pitted against a seemingly ordinary teenager - until the youngster’s helmetless head reveals a synthetic skull. As the robots multiply and the mayhem ensues, Andy temporarily abandons his teetotalism, downing shot after shot to cope with the surreal chaos unfolding around him.

As they navigate the labyrinthine pub crawl, the group encounters Sam once more, Gary warning her of the impending robot invasion. Her skepticism turns to conviction when Gary saves her from a pair of robotic duplicates masquerading as her friends. At The Mermaid, a new wave of robots, masquerading as alluring sirens, attempts to seduce the men and pilfer their DNA - until Sam’s childhood crush Adrian appears, sending her scrambling to escape the pub alongside her companions.

As they approach the ninth pub on their journey, The Beehive, an unexpected visitor materializes: Guy Shepherd (Pierce Brosnan), a former teacher who had instilled in them values of acceptance and adaptation. His words of wisdom - that the group’s fate is inextricably linked to the rise of these mechanical imitations - are met with skepticism by Andy, who has just discovered Oliver’s surgically altered birthmark. The ensuing melee prompts the group to scatter, as Gary convinces Sam to make a hasty retreat from the rapidly deteriorating situation.

As the group of friends reunites, tensions run high as they accuse one another of being replaced by synthetic duplicates. Steven, Peter, and Andy prove their humanity with varying degrees of flair, while Gary steadfastly refuses to reveal the telltale signs of mechanical manipulation on his person. Instead, he resorts to a series of head-butting demonstrations against an unyielding pillar, a testament to the resilience of human flesh. The robots, however, remain undeterred and ultimately capture Peter, prompting Gary to press on with his pub crawl, despite the odds.

As the friends continue their journey, they stop at familiar haunts along the way - the King’s Head and the Hole in the Wall - before making a beeline for their final destination, The World’s End. Andy abandons Steven, opting instead to chase Gary through the winding streets, driven by a mix of concern and defiance.

At the World’s End, the two friends engage in a heated confrontation that ultimately reveals the true extent of Gary’s struggles. A hospital armband on his wrist serves as a poignant reminder of the depths he has plumbed, and Andy is left to grapple with the weight of his friend’s secrets. Despite this newfound understanding, Gary remains resolute in his determination to complete the pub crawl, and it is only through Andy’s intervention that he is prevented from pulling the final pint.

The bar yields to a hidden chamber, where the trio is reunited once more. However, their brief moment of camaraderie is short-lived, as they are soon confronted by an otherworldly entity known as the Network. This disembodied being reveals that the robot invasion is merely one facet of a larger, global strategy - one designed to exploit humanity’s reliance on modern technology.

The Network proposes an alternative path forward: eternal youth and vitality through robotic assimilation. However, the trio remains steadfast in their refusal, arguing passionately for the importance of human freedom and autonomy. The Network, ultimately defeated, ceases communication and abandons its plans for invasion.

As Newton Haven self-destructs, Sam arrives to ferry the group to safety. In the aftermath, Andy recounts the tale around a campfire in the ruins of London - a city laid waste by a catastrophic electro-magnetic pulse that has set humanity back centuries. The remaining robots, once mere machines, now roam free, their mechanical forms imbued with a semblance of life.

Andy’s own marriage has weathered the storm, while Steven finds solace in a new relationship with Sam. Peter and Oliver, meanwhile, have returned to some semblance of their former lives - albeit as robotic duplicates. In the midst of this desolate landscape, Gary reprises his pub crawl, entering a dimly lit tavern alongside his younger robot friends. As he orders five glasses of water, his words seem to hold a newfound poignancy, and it is left to the robots themselves to determine their place in this brave new world.

When the bartender refuses to serve these mechanical patrons, Gary draws a sword and leads his companions into a bitter struggle for acceptance - a testament to the enduring power of human spirit.