Where to even begin with Megalopolis. On one hand, it’s a fable for our modern times about how empires crumble. How man’s lust for power will undo the very fabric of society if not for one person’s uncompromising vision and genius. Only this architect of change can save us from ourselves. On the other hand, it’s the story of how one egomaniac believes he can save us from the excess, from the superficial, and refuses to listen to anyone else only to create something that makes absolutely no sense.
Guess which one of those Francis Ford Coppola is?
I won’t lie, Megalopolis is a mess. It’s pretentious and preachy, over-directed, and has plenty of unintentionally funny moments. (Most of those come courtesy of Jon Voight, who clearly has no idea what is going on and is following the directions of a madman.) There are several beautiful sentiments and interesting ideas sprinkled in it but everything gets lost under Megalopolis’ grand ambition and style over substance approach. It’s also engaging and never boring.
Adam Driver (trying his best but lacking his usual confidence) plays Ceaser, a billionaire architect or something; it wasn’t clear, who can control time but that’s also not important because it might just be a metaphor, and he wants to rebuild society. New Rome, an American city, that is not New York but also is, is crumbling and the new Mayor (Giancarlo Esposito) is bad. There’s a 16-year-old pop star, a colosseum, enough Roman Empire imagery to make every man who still thinks about that time period blush, magic clocks, Dustin Hoffman, and you know what fuck it — this movie makes no sense.
Coppola let his ego into the driver’s seat, and we are all just along for the ride. Megalopolis collapses under its own ambition. The fable that Coppola wants to tell gets muddled under too many metaphors. He’s trying to tell a parable about the state of our world but can’t find a focus. The film is a $120 million dollar student film masquerading as an art-house event. Sometimes, I wondered if Coppola even remembered how to make a film or had any understanding of how people actually interact or converse with each other.
Yet, I almost want to recommend it. It’s so bizarre, so self-important that it almost must be seen to be believed. It’s like peering into the soul of a crazed man, and you just can’t look away. The choices that Coppola makes are both baffling and intriguing. From cringe-inducing lines, weird line readings, strange blocking, split screens, and over-the-top cinematography and set design. It’s all too much, but it’s constantly entering. I can’t say I have ever seen a film like this before. Words cannot describe how outlandishly weird this movie is. There are moments that I am still processing and not sure I will ever understand.
This review only barely taps the ego trip that is Megalopolis. A movie made by a man who no one ever said no to and they definitely should have. There are good ideas and some level of competency in there but Coppola’s city-sized ego buries it, leaving with a film that’s fascinating to watch, but like New Rome, is crumbling and decaying at its core.
2.5/5