Megalopolis – REVIEW

As a cinephile with over four decades of film-watching under my belt, I’ve seen it all – from the classics to the avant-garde. So when I sat down to watch Francis Ford Coppola’s latest epic, ‘Megalopolis‘, I was eagerly anticipating a masterpiece that would rival his Godfather trilogy. Alas, what I found was a megalithic mess of a movie that left me more bewildered than enchanted.

After many years of development, Francis Ford Coppola has at last finished his grandly anticipated project, ‘Megalopolis’ – does it live up to the hype or fall short?

The city at hand is the one envisioned by Nobel laureate and polymath, Cesar Catalina (played by Adam Driver), who intends to construct a metropolis reminiscent of ancient Rome in modern-day New York City, using his innovative material Megalon. This project, however, is not without controversy, as Franklyn Cicero (Giancarlo Esposito), a former DA who once prosecuted Cesar, strongly opposes the plans. The dynamics become even more intricate when the mayor’s daughter, Julia (Nathalie Emmanuel), starts working for Cesar, leading to a romantic entanglement between them. This love story enrages Cesar’s cousin Clodio (Shia LaBeouf), who harbors feelings for Julia and seeks to bring down Cesar. To add fuel to the fire, Clodio’s father, Hamilton Crassus III (Jon Voight), a multi-billionaire, marries Cesar’s mistress, Wow Plantunum (Aubrey Plaza), a feisty TV reporter, further complicating matters.

This story resembles the intricate plotting of Francis Ford Coppola’s Godfather series, yet it introduces numerous additional themes and subplots that sometimes seem disjointed. A storyline about a satellite crashing to Earth fades away, as does the build-up to a city riot, along with many other elements. Lawrence Fishburne provides occasional voiceovers, but they merely repeat what we’ve just witnessed, and profound philosophical quotations surface throughout. The play also incorporates notable lines from Shakespeare, particularly Hamlet’s “To be or not to be” speech, delivered by Driver. Scenes tend to drag on, especially a wedding feast that echoes the opening of The Godfather, but lacks its depth, subtlety, and character development.

Megalopolis isn’t without its instances where things take a turn – statues crumble due to years of decay within the city, yet visually, it can be breathtakingly captured. Coppola employs various creative techniques such as slow motion, freeze frames, reverse shots, and triptych screens. Despite his advanced age, he remains open to experimenting with different forms, but these innovations seem to have minimal impact on the overall film.

Working with a director known for his impressive filmography from the ’70s makes it understandable why actors would be eager to collaborate, yet it’s notable that many tend to stick to their familiar roles. Seasoned and skilled actors generally do well, but Shia LaBeouf stands out as he often pushes boundaries in his portrayal of a deceitful cousin. One moment he dons women’s clothing, such as an eyebrow-less character dressed in a toga, the next he adopts the style of an era-specific Bono wearing eyeliner.

As a cinephile, I must confess that I eagerly anticipate the release of Megalopolis, which may very well be Coppola’s final grand opus – and he’s poured an impressive $120m of his own funds into it. This self-financed freedom allows him to push the boundaries, creating a film that is as daringly original as it is puzzling, potentially testing the endurance of viewers.

Here’s the Megalopolis trailer…..

2024-09-27 02:23

Read More