Released: 27th September 2024 (UK and US)
Length: 138 Minutes
Certificate: 15
Director: Francis Ford Coppola
Starring: Adam Driver, Nathalie Emmanuel, Giancarlo Esposito, Jon Voight, Aubrey Plaza, Shia LaBeouf and Laurence Fishburne
After many years making movies on a smaller scale, Francis Ford Coppola returns to the cinematic blockbuster with Megalopolis. Marketed as a grand comeback after many decades in development, the film is instead a major misfire, one that wastes the talents of many involved.
Megalopolis presents a modern America in the same vein as the Roman Republic, built on the divide between rich and poor and endless political scheming. A dramatic conflict takes place between the genius architect Cesar Catilina (Adam Driver) and his uncle Crassus (Jon Voight), the head of a prestigious national bank. With the discovery of a new bio-adaptive element, Cesar wants to build an illustrious utopian city, but Crassus disagrees as tensions start to grow among the masses. It’s an interesting idea for a science fiction story, but the film makes no effort to flesh it out. For the most part, Megalopolis is focused on showing us the lavish lives of aristocrats, cutting between fancy events and more intimate moments. Both sides are very underwhelming and lack the depth needed for an engaging story. The most frustrating thing about Megalopolis is how it quickly glosses over any plot threads that may have added further intrigue. The so-called Power To The People faction doesn’t go anywhere and a sudden assassination attempt is quickly glossed over with the power of wealth and advanced medical technology. By the end, there is no sense of build-up or dramatic climax, leaving us with a very empty feeling.
The proceedings can be boiled down to four main performers; Adam Driver, Nathalie Emmanuel, Giancarlo Esposito and Jon Voight. Each is merely passable, their characters falling well short for both development and wider contributions to the narrative. Cesar seems interesting at first, but the bond he forms with Julia Cicero (Nathalie Emmanuel) is quite understated; it never really blossoms into something memorable. Julia’s relationship with her father Mayor Francis (Giancarlo Esposito) fares a bit better, but any dramatic tension fades away by the conclusion. Jon Voight’s Crassus is easily the most shallow of the bunch, rarely making his presence felt. Even Aubrey Plaza, a very accomplished actress, feels wasted on a TV personality role that doesn’t influence the narrative in any meaningful way. Much like the central plot, we rarely see these people change or go through intense moments throughout the runtime. Other faces like Shia LaBeouf and Laurence Fishburne make brief appearances but they have so little to contribute; the former is Cesar’s cousin who barely interacts and the latter is a lone taxi driver who also delivers some narration. Fishburne has a great talent for voice work, but it doesn’t excuse the lacklustre character work.
As far as settings go, Megalopolis is one of the prettiest you’ll see this year. The heavy use of gold is the film’s most striking element, creating a great sense of extravagance throughout the story. This is enhanced further by Cesar’s ability to stop time and the unique illusions that represent his vision. It’s a great way of showing off the character’s intellect, one that arguably surpasses Adam Driver’s performance. When he gazes out over the modern republic with the sun shimmering off of the windows, you’ll really appreciate the cinematography on display. One of the major set pieces is a debauched bidding show at a grand theatre; it succeeds at channelling the seedier side of Ancient Rome. At other points the screen will split to show off some dazzling visuals while the soundtrack by Osvaldo Golijov envelopes the image. The music is both towering and serene, a great fit for the production. The ideas of Megalopolis clearly overshadow what is delivered on screen, a shame as the presentation is often very impressive.
The overhyped Megalopolis is one of 2024’s biggest disappointments. Coppola’s prowess for filmmaking remains on top form, but it comes at the expense of everything else. With so many hollow plot threads and basic performances, we’re left with a visual extravaganza with no greater meaning. It’s a project that may have been better suited to an art gallery than the silver screen.
Rating: 2/5 Stars (Disappointing)
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