Megalopolis movie review by movie16
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Megalopolis movie review
Francis Ford Coppola's Megalopolis is a movie that defies conventional critique. It’s a four-decade-long passion project that bursts onto the screen in a display of bold, almost incomprehensible creativity. While the rating might suggest you should see it, this film may leave viewers deeply divided—some will be mesmerized, while others might hate it. In fact, Megalopolis is a cinematic experience so overwhelming that it's impossible to fully absorb on a first viewing.
Set in "New Rome," which bears a striking resemblance to New York City, the film follows Cesar Catalina (Adam Driver), an architect with the ability to manipulate time and space using a substance called Megalon. He’s in a power struggle with Franklyn Cicero (Giancarlo Esposito), the mayor of New Rome, while also getting romantically entangled with Cicero's daughter, Julia (Nathalie Emmanuel). There’s also Clodio Pulcher (Shia LaBeouf), Cesar’s cousin, who is also vying for Julia’s affections, and the powerful Hamilton Crassus III (Jon Voight), who further complicates matters. The cast is rounded out by Aubrey Plaza as a TV reporter named Wow Platinum, with supporting roles from Laurence Fishburne, Jason Schwartzman, and Talia Shire, among others.
Megalopolis is packed with historical and literary references, blending ancient Roman history with Shakespearean themes, particularly from Hamlet. Yet, it strives to be more than just a simple narrative. Coppola’s vision is of a future shaped by the past, where societal structures crumble and rise again, a cycle reminiscent of the collapse of ancient civilizations. The film’s core message seems to celebrate the enduring power of dreamers and visionaries, with Cesar representing a man caught between these two realms.
However, the film's ambition often trips over itself. Coppola makes some breathtaking cinematic choices, such as the IMAX screen splitting into three during certain sequences, enhancing the visual spectacle. Yet, the plot is inconsistent, with threads left hanging or scenes that seem disconnected. For example, there’s an early subplot involving a satellite crash that leads nowhere, and a massive riot hinted at but never materializes. The film’s pacing stumbles in a few sequences, most notably during an overindulgent Colosseum-inspired wedding scene, which marks the point where Coppola appears to lose track of his narrative in favor of visual excess.
The cast struggles with Coppola’s improvisational approach, and it shows. Veteran actors like Driver, Esposito, and Voight manage to find their footing, but younger actors sometimes seem lost, unsure whether their characters are archetypes or real people. Reports suggest that Coppola was making changes on set, which likely added to the actors' confusion.
Despite its flaws, Megalopolis is undeniably a work of visionary ambition. There are moments when the film soars, like a stunning sequence where Cesar drives through the crumbling city, with iconic statues collapsing from exhaustion, symbolizing a civilization on the verge of collapse. These visuals are unforgettable, bolstered by the cinematography of Mihai Mălaimare Jr., who delivers breathtaking imagery that transcends the film's narrative weaknesses.
By the film’s final act, it's clear that Megalopolis isn’t really about the fates of Cesar and Julia—it’s about the grander themes Coppola has spent decades contemplating. The cyclical rise and fall of societies, the persistence of human ambition, and the idea that art and vision will endure even as civilizations collapse. It’s not a film that demands emotional investment in its characters as much as it asks viewers to reflect on the larger scope of human existence.
Megalopolis is messy, inconsistent, and indulgent, but it's also a bold, imaginative work from one of cinema's most important auteurs. It’s the kind of film that will polarize audiences, leaving some in awe of its audacity and others frustrated by its disjointedness. Either way, it’s a film worth experiencing, even if you’re not sure whether you love it or hate it by the time the credits roll.
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