Metropolis (2001) User Reviews (131)

I loved this film!

[lambiepie-2 · 8/10 · 23 January 2003]

I have always been a fan of the 60's and 70's anime. I feel that the 80's and 90's Anime got a bit out of hand, but this film brings me back to the experimentation, the wonder, visuals and the drawing you into forgetting this is only 'anime' at all.

The story is an update of the fantastic silent film Metropolis, and at points in this telling, the story falls flat, but just watching the film drew me in and made up for those story gaffs. There isn't any one who can look at this and not be taken with its ambition. Old anime elements, new ones, stop action, realism -- you name it, its all in one nice package! I am looking forward to additional works from this team, I hope they continue on for I feel this project was a great venture and to what they are capable of. This film is really wonderful, I recommend it highly.

Welcome to Metropolis!

[Lady_Targaryen · 8/10 · 22 October 2007]

''Metropolis'' story is set in the future, in a society where humans and robots live together, but has problems with each other. Shunsaku Ban is an investigator who came to Japan to find a criminal named Dr. Laughton. He came with his nephew named Kenichi. They don't know the Metrpolis well, so they hired a Detective robot to guide them. In Metropolis world, artificial intelligence has advanced a great deal and robots are seen everywhere performing many different tasks. But they do not have any of the rights that are granted to human beings,in order not to infringe upon human rights, they are not allowed to have human names nor to travel in the zones without permission.

Ban and Kenichi discovers that Dr. Laughton was working for Duke Red, one of the main politics of Metropolis city, in a hidden place, creating a super Robot that resembles Duke Red's daughter once lost called Tima.

The place suddenly stays on flames and Tima wakes up during the fire and is saved by Kenichi. Dr. Laughton dies shortly after being rescued by Shunsaku but manages to utter a few words regarding a precious notebook of his, which the detective saves from the flames.

The movie is full of conspiracies, and one of the main characters in this plan is Rock, Duke Red's adopted son, who discovers his father's plans and decides to destroy the Robot and to kill Dr. Laughton. Rock is strongly against giving powers to Robots (to be honest he hates Robots in general) and he stays the entire anime trying to find Tima, the robot, and Kenichi. Rock is responsible for destroying the place where Dr Laughton worked and why it stayed on flames.

Kenichi and Tima become good friends during the movie in a more romantic way.

''Metoroporisu'' is a complex anime that actually shows more then people imagine. Definitely is not a movie for kids(( Even looking a little childish), since they probably will not understand the real message of the movie or the scene where Tima is shot in her heart, a metaphor for losing her humanity. o For instance, we see a theme of class struggle in a society full of riches and full of poor people and also the relationship of robots with humans.

I am very glad that Rintaro and Katsuhiro Otomo united their forces to bring Metropolis to a film, contradicting Osamu's wish. Many of the scenes of this animation were very well done(like the one the ziggurat is connected to Tima) with great special effects, and the mix of a retro animation with futuristic city had a very nice combination in the product of the movie.

I can say for myself that it was a long time since I watched an anime that made me feel touched, and this anime happened to be one of them. The end is very sad, and I don't think that Tima was rebuilt, as many people were speculating, since she was the most complex robot in the world and not easily rebuilt,specially without her creator.

visually stunning but story problematic

[SnoopyStyle · 6/10 · 25 November 2015]

In the futuristic Metropolis, robots are segregated and used for all the menial work. Many unemployed blame the robots and pushing for revolution. Duke Red is building a vast skyscraper. A robot disrupts the opening and Duke Red's son Rock destroys the robot. Private detective Shunsaku Ban and his nephew Kenichi are hunting for scientist Dr. Laughton who is supposedly trafficking organs. Laughton has actually been hired by Duke Red to recreate his deceased daughter with an advanced robot.

The visual style of this animated movie is beautiful. This is worthwhile watch simply for the visual aspect. The story is functional for more than half of the movie. Kenichi and the robot on the run is pretty good. The rest is a bit disjointed and complicated. Motivation is tricky. The twists and reveals are questionable and the story is overstuffed. It is still a beautiful looking piece of animation.

A visual feast - though the script has problems

[Wizard-8 · 30 April 2002]

I am a fan of anime, so after hearing all the great acclaim this movie got, I knew I had to see it.

Visually, the movie it top-notch. The blend of computer graphics and hand-drawn animation is seamless, with incredible detail given to each. Graphically, this movie is indeed a milestone in animation, one that will definitely be referred to over and over in the future. If you are a fan of animation (Japanese or otherwise), you MUST see this movie.

As for the story and character - they were somewhat underwhelming. Occasionally each got to the point where they intrigued you and made you want to learn more - but you got no more. You learn really nothing about the youthful male protagonist or the female humanoid who he saves and takes care of. They hardly even say a word to each other! There were also some big jumps in the storyline, feeling like a lot of important information was cut out.

The movie was based on a long manga, so it's obvious that A LOT of character and story development had to be cut out so that the movie would run at an acceptable running time. I honestly think this story would have worked - it certainly would have been somewhat better - had it been done as a miniseries. Maybe the visuals wouldn't have been so stunning, but a more compelling story and more memorable characters would have made up for it.

Not as good as Lang's, but not bad

[The_Void · 6/10 · 22 May 2005]

Fritz Lang's original 'Metropolis' is an enduring classic of cinema. The techniques used at the time that it was made were absolutely astounding and it is still astounding to consider the technical achievement that Metropolis represents even these days. This Japanese re-telling of the classic story doesn't follow the plot of the original film, but they are linked due to the way that they both utilise grand settings for their thrills and although it was a lot more impressive in 1927, this version of the story is still a very decent film. I can't say that I'm a big fan of Japanese 'anime', but every time I see a film in it's style I tend to at least enjoy myself, and that can be said of this film. The plot has too many elements to be fully coherent, but it serves its purpose and is always second to the visuals anyway. The story follows two societies; robots and humans, and comes together when a private investigator's nephew meets a robot girl constructed to rule the city. The script is somewhat taught, this may be because of the fact that it has been translated into English, or it may just be a bad script. It doesn't really matter though as, again, the sharp visuals are always enough to distract the viewer from the other areas of the movie. It's almost a shame that this movie isn't better when you consider that it has an absolutely great source of inspiration, but then again you can hardly expect it to rival Fritz Lang's classic. On the whole, I recommend this movie if you've seen Lang's and want some more, but otherwise I just recommend the original classic.

In brief: powerful

[ThirdEye-1 · 10/10 · 6 May 2002]

In my short life I've developed a taste for a film that challenges me as a viewer and is more than the sum of it's parts. Metropolis is one such movie. While most will only give it credit for being a visual masterpiece, Metropolis is a well - rounded work with strong characters, themes and music. Not only does the character design have a fresh and captivating style, each character has his or hers own unique features. The setting is so rich and vibrant at times and dark and mysterious at others, it could only have been created through animation. The use of old western jazz and borderline ragtime music gives the huge city an earthy feeling, which is reflected in the architecture of the lower levels of the city. The themes are classic science fiction themes. I shy away from calling them derivative or repetitive because they still remain some of the most relevant ideas portrayed in any genre. Katsuhiro Otomo's screenplay is understated, contrasting the near "in your face" visuals. He is one of the most highly regarded writers in the genre, and he shows why here. The chilling ending is a destructive one, but it isn't the apocalyptic disaster some people make it out to be. The use of "Can't stop loving you" by Ray Charles frames the scene so well, and I found it far more moving and touching than the ending of Dr. Strangelove, which it is rightfully compared to. So, to all movie lovers, not just anime lovers, I ask you to go see this work of art and let it absorb you and change you. You will be better for it.

Charming approach to the Metropolis story

[Imdbidia · 6/10 · 22 February 2011]

A Japanese animation movie based on a comic by Osamu Tezuka, the creator of Astroboy, that tells the story of android Tima and her human friend Kenichi in the city of Metropolis.

Metropolis shares with Astroboy some of Tezuka's themes: Father-son troublesome relationship due to the Father's rejection and unloving treatment of the son. Also very important is the presence of a great variety of old-style chunky robots and very developed humanoids who ask themselves what/who I'm I?

The animation is flamboyant and amazing regarding the settings, backgrounds, architecture and machinery, and combines 2-D and 3-D mixed with some real movie elements. Some of the scenes at the end of the movie are spectacular from a visual point of view, too.

The mood of the movie is excellent, with the creation of a retro- futuristic city very developed but impoverished and with no freedom. We have the bright city and the underworld, with different colors and styles.

The music is fantastic, also retro, with lots of Mow-Town, classic Jaz, alternating with symphonic pieces that reminded me of John Williams'.

The script, though, is a poor mix of well known sci-fi elements and characters. I found the script not engaging most of the time, not only because of the unoriginality of the same, but, above all, because of the drawing of the characters is completely childish, which barely fits with the innovative and more artistic style of the rest of the movie. Tima and Kenichi are beautifully drawn, and, being children, the style suits them, but the adults are drawn in a comical style that doesn't suit the story either. It reminded me of famous TV cartoons of the 70s!

I think it is a movie for teenagers, with elements that would suit both children and young adults. Not a movie for adults, to me.

One of my all time favourites

[ExpendableMan · 10/10 · 31 January 2005]

I'm not a big fan of Manga I must admit. The movies I've seen have been few and far between and while I certainly enjoyed the likes of Ninja Scroll, Akira and Ghost In The Shell, I've never had much urge to seek out a really wide knowledge of the genre. That being said though, Metropolis has to rank as one of my top five films of all time, not just the animated ones.

Telling the story of a far future world where humans and robots exist alongside one another, it focuses on the adventures of a Private Investigator and his son visiting the city for the first time and hunting down a missing robot called Tima. And what a city it is! The animation, simply put, is stunning. The epic scope of this vast urban world is beautifully captured on screen. It is richly detailed and lit up like a fantastic world of colour, like a fine piece of dramatic art that has come to life. The animation on the characters meanwhile is no less amazing, it is more akin to French than Japanese in stylistic terms, but is still very detailed and beautifully realised.

But this is no piece of aesthetic beauty with nothing to back it up as the storyline is truly gripping. As the boy befriends a young girl, both of them unaware that she is in fact an experimental robot, you find yourself getting swept up in their plight and they have just as much, if not more depth and emotion than any real-life actor's work.

Come the climax, you'll be simultaneously thrilled and left emotionally stunned. This is a magnificent film, I can't praise it enough.

Imaginative but too crowded

[Moviemaniac30 · 7/10 · 3 August 2020]

An homage to one of the best movies ever made, that in the end it's good but unfocus. from the sceneries to the plot everything has layers and layers which makes it over complicated for its own good. That being said exageration aside an enjoyable experience.

It's very hard to believe how many people hate this movie

[LittleMiso · 10/10 · 3 December 2002]

This is another great masterpiece in anime. Also, it's very different from others, as reviewers have pointed out.

I never expected old-1930-ish-saxopohone jazz music to be playing in an anime movie. It's a great movie, and, like Akira, the Matrix, and Princess Mononoke (or, Mononoke Hime as I prefer), it gets better every time you see it.

and in the climax of the movie, you hear Ray Charles' "I Can't Stop Loving You". Puts in the same touch as how Gene Kelly's "Singin' in the Rain" was put in "A Clockwork Orange". It engraves the scene in your head, never to forget, and it does bring the scene back to your mind once you hear that song. It's happened to me lots of times after i saw Clockwork Orange.

Review: 5/5, Good Movie scale Ratings: US PG-13, UK PG, Canada PG

Metropolis has to be seen, because director Rintaro and his production team have crafted a visual masterpiece.

[toqtaqiya2 · 6/10 · 9 October 2010]

Metropolis is based on a 1949 manga by Osamu Tezuka. Tezuka was a seminal figure in the manga and anime industries even before he was 20 years old. The manga was inspired by a magazine article on Fritz Lang's 1927 classic film with an image of the robot girl Maria. Tezuka Productions and Studio Madhouse put together a gifted crew to produce the visually stunning anime film. Tezuka's character designs are brought to life with magnificent computer graphics. The backgrounds and set-pieces are beautiful, with some breathtaking vistas. The score is a blend of ultra-cool jazz and heartbreaking blues. The film reveals what it is to be human, how much power we give to computers and how we try to control it, official dishonesty and corruption, abuse of power, the disaffected urban poor with not stake in society, the demonization of anyone "different", the leakage of terrorists and technology across increasingly insecure borders, and the rise of gangs. These themes remain relevant. There's a lot going on in Metropolis - and certainly not just in the detail-saturated background art.

An Amazing Milestone In Anime History !!!

[Computress · 10/10 · 18 March 2005]

When I first saw this I was totally blown away by its beautiful animation and groundbreaking use of music! It really made me lyrical in a way few anime does - Rintaro and Otomo really has what it takes to make a masterpiece. The blend of charming old-fashioned technology and allusions to modern phenomenons makes it the perfect anime for the beginning of 21st century!

Metropolis is based on Tesuka Osamus first manga and later gave inspiration to his more famous "Astro Boy". Some story elements and characters from Tesukas later works are clearly inserted in Metropolis to make it work as a movie, which in this case is good... The choice of music is, in my opinion, daring and rather funny; jazzy tunes spiced with hits from the 60s (Ray Charles) sets the tone of the "optimistic atomic age". All in all, well made nostalgia...

I could go on forever with this rant, so I spare you that if you see this little animated gem! Rent it, buy it, steal it (if necessary ;) , you won't regret it!

Apocalyptic... yet hopeful...

[hokeybutt · 7/10 · 25 April 2005]

METROPOLIS (3+ outta 5 stars) Very well-done science fiction anime about a multi-tiered city of the future and how the quality of life differs for characters from different levels. Young Kenichi is helping his private investigator uncle track down a doctor dealing in illegal organs. Their search brings them into contact with people on the highest rungs of society as well as the lowest. Kenichi meets a mysterious young girl named Tima, who is actually a super-advanced robot created by the doctor his uncle is loking for. Duke Red, the dictatorial leader of Metropolis financed her creation so that she could take over from him to become the supreme ruler. His adopted son, Rock is determined that this never happens and he hunts Kenichi and Tima through the lower decks of the city... prompting encounters with lower-caste robots and humans ripe for revolution. Big, sprawling story goes in many unexpected directions... getting better and better as the movie progresses. The animation, a combination of cel animation and computer graphics is terrific... reaching its peak in a beautifully staged confrontation amidst some falling snow. The finale with Kenichi and Tima is bizarrely set to the tune of Don Gibson's "I Can't Stop Loving You"... the song seems so completely out of place at first... but by the time the scene is over it seems utterly perfect. (And a little reminiscent of the finale of Dr. Strangelove). "I am... who?"

Interesting world, poor animation, bizarre story

[the_wolf_imdb · 4/10 · 4 November 2011]

I really wished this movie to succeed - its retro cyber punk world is really interesting and backgrounds do look amazing. Seriously, the retro future titanistic look of the buildings and subterran spaces is really great. On the other hand the characters do look childish and really outdated in style. Think of Tintin characters for example - very naive looking characters with primitive animation in 1920s style. The General himself looks like Mario - seriously. He is just laughable. These characters just do not fit to these great looking buildings.

The story is absurd and seems to drift without any direction. The characters are not believable at all, they are not just flat, but they do behave in a simply absurd manner. Twists and kills are sudden and hard to follow - you just have no idea why something happened and motivation of characters is totally unclear. The most bizarre is the ten year old hit-man (or whatever he is) who is supposed to work for the Baron but not only ignores his interests but he is basically willing to kill everyone in his way like there is no law applying to him at all. The Baron seems not to have any connection with politics yet he simply builds super weapon and has no problem to test it live on his own without consent of Army or state. More or less it is just a roller-coaster of random yet beautiful scenes.

In the end I'm not sure if the authors meant the movie to be full fledged serious cyber punk or just simple movie for the kids. It does not seem to be suitable for neither group. It is just too stupid to be serious scifi fan and too messy and hard to follow for the kids. Lots of empty speech, nonsense scenes, useless characters and even more pointless deaths. You might to try to compare this movie with Steamboy or Castle in the Sky but it is just way inferior to them.

Why does everyone hate this?

[sadrec1 · 20 July 2004]

For crying out loud, it's stylized! That's why the soundtrack is jazz and blues and stuff. That's why the character animation is "crappy".

Look at a comic book from the twenties/thirties, namely Herge's Tintin books, or Tezuka's manga (fifties actually), which this is based off of, DANG IT! The characters are designed to look like comic book character's from that era. Shinsaku looks like one of the Thompsons. Kenechi looks like a cross between Tintin and Astro Boy.

It's meant to be like a Prohibition era Chicago or something.

Spectacular backgrounds to superficial foreground

[stefan-144 · 6/10 · 9 January 2003]

Anime is tantalizing. Its differences from its western counterparts are refreshing - the mythical themes, the slow tempo in the development of the story, the frequent focus on poetic moments or small scenes of peripheral importance to the story, and so on. Simply different, yet familiar in essence. One can still relate.

Metropolis is a big anime production with spectacular backgrounds an effects, but the characters and the story they go through can not measure up to that background. The impressive scenery takes over the lead, and keeps it - all through the grand finale.

The elements of the plot are easily recognized from a majority of anime films, especially the character who is unaware of his or her enormous inner potential and great destiny awaiting. Such a character is just about obligatory in anime, and one could elaborate on why. In this film it's a girl robot - of a very special kind - who is unaware of being a robot, and very reluctant to accept it.

There is a love story, a rather childish one, between her and a human boy. Sort of beauty and the beast, or for that matter Romeo and Juliet. Unfortunately, it is not explored at any depth, though it would have made the movie much more interesting at length.

Then there's also the Metropolis concept of a higher and a lower world, references to Dr Strangelove, and what not. A wonderful mixture of mythical and symbolical classics of the west, seen through Japanese eyes. That's all there, in the background. So the lack of foreground, of characterization and its development, is not that crucial.

A Futuristic Classic!

[ryanbigman · 10/10 · 7 August 2002]

Metropolis isn't an action, adventure, or a drama...It's an experience. It's a roller-coaster ride of a movie that takes the audience through an experience into the future with a sense of the past and present. I'll explain. First off, the animation in itself is what makes the film so unique. It's a sort of Tin tin animation mixed in with anime. The background of the city is amazing, a must see. The music is what does it though! The music is very classy. The type of music used in the old black and white classics. The whole movie experience is a sort of oxymoron, it contradicts itself. The futuristic background with the classic-styled people and music. A very unique animation indeed and one not to be missed if you're a fan of animation.

Could have been great

[pauldanielhenrik · 6/10 · 5 June 2005]

This film suffers heavily from a series of misguided judgements from the director, mainly concerning the look and sound of the film. The style of the characters don't work very well with the 3D backgrounds, even though the blend between 2D and 3D itself is seamless. A lot would have been gained by paying less attention to Tezuka's original style in favour of a more "contemporary" way of drawing.

Much worse is the choice of music though, the kind of 20s jazz used throughout the film doesn't work *at all* with the futuristic and grandiose settings. This never becomes as clear as during the climax of the film, when Rock blows the tower up and Tima falls to her death, all to the tones of a bloody Ray Charles jazz-ballad. The climax immediately turns into an anti-climax.

This is overall the main flaw with the movie; the director's insistence on making everything as "twenties" as possible, even when it comes to its polar opposites. On the one hand the 20s nightlife clichés: the jazz, cabaret and variety shows, on the other the megalomaniac and modernistic projects aiming to build a new and perfect society. It's like trying to imagine Mussolini at a Josephine Baker show. It doesn't work.

There's also quite a few problems with the characterisation of most of the characters (except perhaps Tima), we just never find out enough about what really drives and motivates these people.

Which is all a shame, because this COULD have been really good, the film is (with the above objections in mind) visually stunning, and if they had fleshed out the characters a bit more the plot would have been a lot more intriguing. Oh well. Guess nothing will ever match Akira...

Visually stunning

[Karneda92 · 10/10 · 9 August 2008]

This is not just one of the greatest anime movies ever made but one of the greatest animated movies of all time. This film is an amazing achievement in every aspect and really pushes the may animated movies are directed and presented.The film takes place in the a future reminiscent of art deco. It will be almost impossible to fully explain the story of metropolis in a comment alone for there are many important characters with there own back story but in brief i can tell you it is about a young boy and his detective uncle as they discover a humanoid robot with striking similarities to a human being. Wat immediately catches your attention of metropolis is the way it is presented, blending CGI with highly fluid hand drawn animation in a noir style this makes the film very memorable Wat's more striking is the character development with highly memorable characters with a great English and Japanese voice cast. You have a great deal of sympathy even for the antagonists e.g.You have the main antagonist shattered by the loss of his daughter and his right hand man born without parents adopted Duke Red (main antagonist) as a father but is often neglected and shunned by him.This is an excellent achievement for an animation and should not be missed this is a film that joins other anime greats like Akira and Princess Mononoke a must see film.

Good, but far from great

[CSmowton · 6/10 · 12 May 2002]

***SOME SPOILERS***

This was a film I enjoyed, but it wasn't the life changing experience some have portrayed it to be. A lot of what was in Metropolis was very well done, but unfortunately this is mainly visual or audial (great music!). What Metropolis lacks is any depth to the characters - they are all very simple, with nothing about them hidden from view. For example, Kenichi is a stock 'innocent young boy' character, and his uncle is similarly a stereotypical detective. Also, the film seems to fall into the trap of creating characters to fit the plot, rather than vice-versa, meaning that a lot of the time, the characters do not behave in a way that seems natural or human a lot of the time - for example, Kenichi's running off with Tima for no apparent reason, and the crowds who remain impassive as gunshots ring around them.

still, despite this, an enjoyable film, but nothing special. 6/10

A great retro sci-fi

[Tweekums · 8/10 · 27 October 2009]

I knew little about this film but when I saw that it was going to be on television I decided to watch it; there is so little non-Ghibli anime on TV one has to take what one can get. When it started I knew this was going to be different; most of the characters didn't look like anime characters, they looked more like characters from western cartoons of the 1930s. This fitted in with the feel of the whole film which was a 1920s/1930s view of the future reminiscent of Fritz Lang's film of the same name.

Set in the city state of Metropolis where the robot underclass must stay in their designated areas and a scientist is building a robot that looks like a girl but is destined to run a new skyscraper known as the Ziggurat. Into this city comes a Japanese private detective and his nephew Kenichi who are seeking to arrest the scientist for organ trafficking. The state's de facto leader Duke Red's adopted son Rock is determined to destroy the robot thinking his father is replacing him. Rock starts a fire in the lab. During this the robot is activated and escapes with Kenichi although neither know that she isn't human. Rock continues to hunt them as the flee through the various layers of the city to a climax in the mysterious Ziggurat.

I loved the retro feel to the animation along with a sound track that also felt like it was from that time. The use of the song "I Can't Stop Loving You" during the climactic scene was inspired. Even if you don't normally like animation this is worth watching as it is a good story which is well told.

These comments are based on watching the film in Japanese with English subtitles.

A plot seriously let down by graphic design blunders.

[erebus53 · 6/10 · 4 July 2002]

The art in this production is becoming all too familiar to those of us who have seen the works of "the Godfather of Animé" Osamu Tezuka. The tell-tale wierd hair and art style that is reminiscent of Tin-Tin and Archie really shows that the art that this animé was based on was drawn a long time ago... in this case 1947-49.

Now, when I watch a cell-shaded animation I prefer it to look like it has been painted. In this day and age it has, of course, fallen to computers to make the production of animated shows a profitable venture. However, just because we have computers as the tools I don't necessarily think that we should be making our backgrounds shiny and 3D rendered.

This is all I saw here. The combination of pretty 3D rendered backgrounds with cell-shaded characters grates against my sensibilities. This detracts from the overall production and distracts me from the plot. I feel that it looks hotchpotched and amateurish. I feel that some directors are relying too heavily on computers and not enough on good animation.

Some people seem to think that computer graphics are "the way of the future" in animé. I feel that productions such as Shrek and other CG masterpieces are as far from the "animé" form as other regular films, and animé doesn't need to go there.

Metropolis had a really nice plot, though it is amusing to note that it is very different from its original form in the manga. It is as different in film as any movie adaptation from a novel... possibly more so.

I may watch it again... but it might be a while before I bother.

Stuff that dreams are made of

[Dockelektro · 7/10 · 17 November 2002]

This movie grabs a concept that never runs thin: the visualization of the future as if it were made some 50 years ago. So, the result is the beautiful sight of a kind of Jules Verne vision: blimps dodge the never-ending-Empire-State-Building-like skyscrapers, like in the Fritz Lang movie with the same name (of which this movie is NOT a remake). Here we follow the eternal duel man /machine, and the way every empire has its high point and its last fall. The animation is beautifully achieved, and they managed to make Metropolis also a player in this movie. To go with all this, there's a great music score, by Toshiyuki Honda. The picture brings out the best of japanese animation, along with an immense vision of a utopian future, and the result is an unforgetable ride through the things we only dare to dream...

Hey buddy, can you spare a dime for plot development?

[lilboybuell · 2/10 · 13 May 2002]

*** Plot Spoilers Ahead ***

As I sat at home and watched Metropolis on DVD, It became very apparent that much time, money, and care went into creating the animation for this movie. But, while viewing the amazingly lush and detailed artwork of Metropolis, I began to feel a cold sense of indifference towards the characters and story line. If the creators of Metropolis had redirected just a few ergs of energy away from the animation process and put it towards creating equally impressive plot elements, I belive Metropolis would be a masterpiece.

While the concept of Metropolis is derivative of much Sci-Fi genre, the story has merit. The weakness of this movie is the need for the viewer to connect scenes together in their mind with story elements that lack any details. Basic information is provided so that the story has a framework and events can take place, but the viewer has to place their trust in this information because once a plot element is introduced, no further development of the idea takes place. I got a feeling of 'as it is written, so shall it be,' so don't question anything. The problem is I have questions. Why doesn't Rock let Dr. Laughton run off with Tima as the Dr. plans on doing (surely Rock overheard this, but then the story would end)? Why, if Rock is such a tough-guy, can he manage to blow-up the lab, but not kill Tima or the Dr. with his gun? What exactly did Duke Red do to gain such power? Is he an industrialist? Did he buy his way into public attention? When Rock and Uncle return to Zone 1 after the rebellion is put down, why does everything look normal and we don't see any carnage? Why are Kenichi and his uncle needed in the throne room when Duke Red reveals his plot? Exactly how will Tima's powers manifest themselves? Why does Kenichi insist on saving Tima now that he knows she's a robot and she is trying to kill him(we have to assume that they love each other, but given no reason why)?

Metropolis makes a weak attempt at being a morality play. We are told that robots in this society are hated and to prove this point we learn of a 'fascist' group called the Malduks whose only existence seems to be to kill robots as violently as possible. The public being saved from robot 'tyranny' don't seem unhappy with the robots in their society or concerned when they are put in harms way when the Malduks execute 'bots with extreme prejudice. We also learn of a group of people living in Zone 1, an underground society for people displaced by robot labor, that eventually rebels against the upper society. Zone 1 is described as being filled with hardship and suffering, yet seems to be a happy place to live. If a statement about class struggle and the right to exist is being made, I don't see it. The people and robots of this world are faceless masses used to push the story along.

Finally coincidence is also used in lieu of plot to push the story along. Why would five separate parties (Kenichi and Tima, Uncle, Atlas the rebel, Rock, and Duke Red) meet at one spot in such a metropolis? My answer is lazy or uninspired writers.

Rating: 2 (10 for animation, -8 for story).

Boring, pointless and just off.

[bennyhagen · 18 May 2012]

Director Rintaro stubbornly refuses to progress a barely existing plot, expose motivations, make connections or build towards any kind of conclusion simply wasting your time for 108 minutes. While the visuals are of course great, with nothing remotely available to serve they also are totally f***ing pointless (like this whole thoughtless movie). Anyone who is into the genre knows, that for what reason ever, anime does barely ever provide you with a tight narrative or even a solid plot, but let me tell you this movie is just pointless.

Because I have said everything I can about this thing and still don't meet the required amount of lines, I will recommend other anime here. Skip this and if you heaven't yet, watch anything from Akira to GITS to Sky Crawlers, to Studio Ghibli movies, Soul Eater or Claymore instead.