METROPOLIS

DESCRIPTION

CAST

MANGA ActionMetropolis

REVIEWS

• 

  TripleJ

  83/100
  A mishmash of ideas, a lively world with a shaky political landscape and great characters. What else can you ask for?

  I decided to watch this film after I saw Detroit: Become Human. I was a little miffed about the idea of androids developing emotions on their own. It just didn't sit right with me (even though I have enjoyed similar works of art in the past).

  I suppose it comes down to principles (and my beliefs as a result). I think of emotions as something nature came up with - often, it can act as the mediator - fastest way to reach a conclusion, rather than through logic. Think about buying jam - two different brands, same flavors, same price. Which do you choose? (Things like brand loyalty come into play...along with the sort of emotion associated with these brands, and their marketing strategies).

  I suppose I should give Detroit a second chance...I was just annoyed by the flaws androids took on. I mean, androids are supposed to be superior than us, at least in logical programming. Why would they (a sentient android for instance) adapt emotions? Why would they need it?

  Onto the actual review then, fair warning: light spoilers overall.

  I liked how the movie had 'thrifty' version of robots - not streamlined or anything. Again, this might be partly due to when the original manga was written (although one of the main characters - a robot is a lot more like robots these days - the way they are portrayed in various media). So it might just be a choice taken to contrast between the said character and other robots.

  I am a fan of SciFi and fantasy - even more so when they get world building right (which is also why I am a fan of Maruyama's Overlord LN). The world is lively - humans and robots, each with their own lives/functions. It's a world that I wanted to explore. I liked how Tezuka envisioned technology - a blending of what was then, and what he thought would happen. It's sort of like a time capsule, to capture the ideas of those who lived past about the future.

  The movie also explores a lot of ideas in detail. The nation under question (Metropolis) is in many ways a reflection of our world - contrast of rich and the poor (and rich quite literally have built a city upon the poor). The only difference is that role robots play, by replacing a lot of human jobs. I reckon this is something we will have to deal with in a couple of decades (or even years).

  There's an ongoing revolution (nods to Marxist ideas - with parallels to bourgeois and proletariat classes) - and the revolutionaries are then used why those in power to further their own goals (something that has happened so many times in our own world).

  Heavy spoilers (comments on climax and such):

  I admit, I wasn't exactly a fan of Rock, but his loyalty for his 'father' figure is almost admirable. I kind of understand why he hate robots - after all, what else are you going to think when you are raised in such a world? I also liked the climax - I thought for sure that they were going to end up both main characters alive and all. Instead the robot died. I did check wiki page, and it mentions that the other main character goes onto rebuilt the android. Part of me almost wanted the destruction of mankind, lol. Impetus I suppose, for treating robots like anything

  Story: 8.5/10
  Characters: 9/10
  Visuals: 7 (+1 for the unique robots and amount of detail) = 8/10
  Audio: 6.5/10
  Enjoyment: 9.5/10
  Idea/Uniqueness: 8/10

  Overall: 8.3/10.

  83/100

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• 

  myvelouria

  100/100
  I can't stop loving you.

  When I first watched “Metropolis” I already knew I was watching something special. Sometimes we discover a movie that you know does not come along often and it stays with you for many years to come. It was directed by Rintaro the man behind the acclaimed “Galaxy Express 999” films and “Kamui no Ken” with a screenplay by Katsuhiro Otomo, the creator and director of “Akira”. The film is loosely adapted from the manga of the same name by the legendary Osamu Tezuka, creator of “Astro Boy” and “Black Jack”. With all of these towering names attached to the project it really comes as no surprise that the film is as impressive as it is. And yet I find this movie does not always get the attention I think it deserves. I think it is something more people should take into consideration. If you do what you will receive is truly an experience to behold.

  In the city of Metropolis the wealthy live in opulence at the expense of the robotic and human laborers. Tensions are building within the city amidst the celebration of the newly completed Ziggurat, a skyscraper said to extend mankind’s power across the world. The humans that have been denied the privilege of living within its upper levels are growing more hostile towards the robots they believe robbed them of work and the rich who profit off of their suffering. During all of this a boy named Kenichi and his private detective uncle, Shunsaku Ban, arrive to investigate and arrest the mad Dr. Laughton said to be involved with organ trafficking. While following his trail eventually they come across the doctor’s laboratory which has been set ablaze with a mysterious newly activated robot named Tima amidst the rubble. Kenichi and Tima become separated from his uncle and wander deeper into the heart of the city discovering its secrets along the way. For what purpose was Tima built? Why was the Ziggurat really constructed? Will the disenfranchised take back control from the elite? Will humans and robots reach a place of understanding? The answers to all of this and more lie within “Metropolis”.

  According to Rintaro it was never Tezuka’s intention to adapt “Metropolis”. The two had worked together on several projects and Tezuka felt anything that he wrote before “Astro Boy” lacked the skill level that he felt made them worth adapting. In spite of this Rintaro took it upon himself to adapt this work for himself many years after Tezuka’s passing. His goal was to communicate his spirit and indeed I feel he succeeded. While the manga is significantly different from the film this is not a strike against it. What Rintaro and Otomo did was create ways to heighten the experience and give the story more substance. The themes of classism are very reminiscent of Fritz Lang’s iconic 1927 silent film of the same title, at the same time the themes of human and robot relations feel carried over from “Astro Boy”. By inserting these themes and creating new sub plots the story feels richer. When it comes to the visual style it is nothing short of superb. The designs by Yasuhiro Nakura have that nice vintage style while not being too far in that direction where it would feel jarring to a more modern viewer. Classic members of the Tezuka star system like Kenichi, Rock Holmes, Duke Red, and Shunsaku Ban all look fantastic while still being in line with the designs that made them famous. By choosing to work within that style, instead of sacrificing it in favor of what would have been popular at the time, the film ended up with a very distinct look that I feel has aged better than most aesthetics found in early 2000s anime. The use of CGI in the backgrounds evokes this feeling of division between the different levels in Metropolis. The lower levels feel mechanical and cold while the upper levels are vibrant and lush. And when it comes to the character animation they move so fluidly and when placed against these detailed backgrounds we get some truly stunning scenes. The score by jazz musician Toshiyuki Honda gives the movie a strong energy and helped create some of the most memorable scenes within the entire film. All of these elements come together to create such a beautiful package.

  Overall “Metropolis” is a lovely movie. It manages to communicate an old master’s vision while still giving the team involved room to breathe and make their own contributions. It offers some thought provoking questions and themes while also acting as an incredibly entertaining piece. There are some movies where they become too weighed down by their messages and lose sight of keeping the viewer engaged, but not here. Every moment, every scene, I was completely invested in what was happening. I have seen this film several times and each time it is just as thrilling and mesmerizing as that day many years ago when I first picked it up. It’s a film that I consider to be timeless and one of the great pieces of anime to come from the 2000s. I cannot recommend it to people enough.

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• 

  DoorSSBM

  80/100
  A visual feast that drags in the first half, but more than makes up for it in the end.

  "You're no mere human being, ruled by emotion and feeling, torn between morality and love!"

  __History__

  First off, the only thing Metropolis (2001) shares with Metropolis (1927) by Fritz Lang is the idea of a heavily industrialized city with synthetic life that parallels the biblical tale of the Tower of Babel. From that starting point they split off into very different works and directions so please do not look at this film as an "anime version of 1927's Metropolis". It is so much more than that and pioneers its own path despite having an initially similar setting and sharing a title.

  This work is a collaboration between Katsuhiro Ôtomo (writer of both the manga and film versions of Akira (1988) ) and Osamu Tezuka (creator of Astro Boy and Kimba the White Lion). The original manga by Tezuka was a one off single volume story seemingly inspired by Fritz Lang's Metropolis, and released 22 years later in September of 1949. This single volume manga was then adapted into a full screenplay by Ôtomo and more fleshed out in its themes and setting for the big screen.

  __Analysis__

  The history of this piece is important to understand because I was very confused by the childlike looking character designs that seemed to clash with the heavily detailed and sharp background art. These character designs are largely from Tezuka, that has been referred to as the Walt Disney of Japan. It would make sense that his designs would fit into a similar style to the rubber hose animation of that era. Given the timeline of the source material and the background on the artist I was able to piece together the reasoning behind the unique character designs.

  The art style seemed to clash for the first half of the film. These childlike and exaggerated characters did not feel serious enough for the situations they were meant to represent, especially during the more violent and intense moments. I felt this dissonance all the way until the climax and it finally clicked for me the reasoning behind these choices. These simple and rounded characters were meant to stand out from the grotesque and threatening machinery of the city. Even the cleaning robots were friendly in appearance because they were not a threat to humanity like the mindless, faceless human extinction devices toward the end. Despite feeling like the design choices detracted from the story to begin with, I think these choices are integral to convey the message the writers were intending and do so very effectively.

  I also have to mention the soundtrack. The finale has to be one of my favorite soundtrack choice moments in film. Absolutely incredible.

  __Complaints__

  The character motivations and backstories are underdeveloped and completely absent in most cases. The story wanders for the first half of the film with no clear direction except longer exposure and deeper exploration of its visual setting. The politics are unclear and unexplored in favor of a power hungry and single-minded villain. With all of these complaints, I think most are forgiven because the film seems to be intended for a mature, but younger audience. The themes do not go quite as deep as I would have liked, but if targeted for an intelligent young audience I consider this film more than adequate thematically.

  __Conclusion__

  Overall Metropolis (2001) is a visual feast that is made around its fantastic conclusion. Without getting in to spoiler territory, given the climax and resolution, all the meandering and exploration in the first half is much more justified and appreciated in retrospect. I'd definitely recommend this, and encourage you to not give up hope half way through like I almost did. Well worth the time invested.

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