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Plot Synopsis

No plot synopsis or other information available for Metropolis

Story & Characters

Metropolis is an interesting movie, the viewer cannot sit on the fence and will either be drawn into the story or will tune out very quickly. Based on the original manga by Osamu Tezuka of the same name, Metropolis brings together two very popular directors: Katsuhiro Otomo (of Akira fame) as the Writer and Rintaro (Galaxy Express 999 (the Movie)) as the Director to adapt the original manga into a movie format.

The story brings together several key themes: the question of personal identity; discrimination based on class or level (or species); politics and manipulation; ambition, greed and power and the price thereof. It brings these elements together in a poignant story that cannot help but tug at the viewer's heart. The story is set in a utopian society high on the excesses of the time. On the surface, everyone appears content, but below the surface is a seething society of outcasts and those who choose not to live in the world above. The tests and stresses placed on the characters vary markedly; but the experience of loss, or losing something dear, being a common theme tying each character together.

The story is quite mature in its telling, so viewers do need to concentrate on this movie (no light-hearted no-brainer romp here). For older audiences (i.e. anyone over 20), this can be a good thing and a significant contrast to some of the genres out if they are looking for a story that is unique and special to be drawn into. For younger audiences, some of the concepts and issues will be obscure and abstract, which may dampen the enjoyment of the story unless this is something they would be particularly interested in. It is suggested that people interested in the social sciences (sociology, psychology, social anthropology, etc.) could relate to the concepts being portrayed and may find this movie resonating with similar issues currently going on in the world.

If Tezuka is one thing, he is consistent. The characters within Metropolis show up in numerous other manga and anime; right down to their names and, often, their physical characteristics. The cast is very diverse from the, dare I say, newborn Tima who has very little knowledge of the world around her to the arrogant, shrewd and hawkish (literally) Duke Red epitomising the top of the societal food chain. Other characters include the caring uncle figure (Detective Ban); the earnest young protagonist (Kenichi); the mad scientist (Laughton); and the unrequited adopted son (Rock), amongst others. The relationships between individual characters is often complex and the motivation of each character changes depending on who (or what) they are interacting with at any particular point in the story.

Robots also play a significant role in this movie with a diversity of characters included too. The relationship between human and robot is either one of acceptance (for those up in the City) to distrust and hatred (for those displaced below the City). Tezuka's stories, on many occasions, epitomise his desire for robots and humans to co-exist in the future. In this case, the robots represent an under-class, designed simply to do the menial labours that the human society has decided is beneath their "level". The story is not without a sense of irony however where certain humans are literally living beneath the robots after being displaced. The robots are equally diverse in their appearance and function, each imbued with a sentience or intelligence (possibly this is just their programming) reflecting their status or level.

In summary: a complex set of relationships, motivations and societal issues is brought together in a tight and enjoyable story. There are, admittedly, slow bits in the plot - its not all non-stop action, but the pace of the movie continues to run nicely for the full 104 minutes feature length.

Rating

8 (good)

Art

Only two words can describe this movie: Visually Stunning! The artwork is a seamless blend of traditional cel-drawn anime and computer-generated imagery. Produced in 2001, it is clearly evident that a substantial budget was allocated to the visual presentation - and it shows. Individual characters are "classic" Tezuka designs with diverse physical characteristics. While many of them look very "cartoony" in their appearance, their retro look admittedly is appealing, compared to the homogeneous-looking characters often portrayed in other anime of the time. There has only been one other movie that has, in my opinion, compared to the visual feast in Metropolis: "Ghost in the Shell 2 - Innocence".

The attention to detail for the built physical and mechanical elements is emphasised by the use of CG images. Machinery, while technically advanced, has a distinctive retro look with the workings being exposed rather than hidden behind consoles. This would be consistent with the general built architecture of the Metropolis city, which is very reminiscent of the Art Deco period (1930s). While this may seem to be inconsistent with robots and high-tech science being used in the 1930's, it is consistent with the excesses of society in that period (pre-Depression, or post-Depression and pre-World War II).

From a technical standpoint, there is nothing to complain about here. The Region 4 release has a vibrant palette of colours, again consistent with a society mired in excess. The underground areas are dark and murky, but still are clear to the viewer - no issues with blending of colours. In all, a great job done on the transfer. There were no apparent issues with bleeding or tearing of colour, nor any obvious artefacts or macroblocking on this version.

In summary: A visual feast where everything just comes together nicely to provide an immersive environment reflecting the excesses of the society of the time.

Rating

10 (excellent)

Sound

The main listening for the audio was done on the Japanese soundtrack with some checking of the English track. Three audio tracks were provided: English DTS 5.1 and Dolby Digital 5.1; and Japanese Dolby Digital 5.1. All three audio tracks packed a decent punch with good use of the surround channels and low-frequency channel (subwoofer). The dialogue on all versions was clear and, again, provided good directionality with surround channels used appropriately.

The respective voice cast members also provided an authenticity to the characters, with Duke Red's well conveying the arrogance, haughtiness, and calculated menace of someone at the top of the societal ladder. The same could be said to each of the actors for the characters on both the Japanese and English tracks. Obviously Columbia Tristar chose well when selecting the English voice actors as the English audio tracks were very consistent with the Japanese track, and the characters were equally convincing in their delivery.

The choice of music was also very well done. Brash, loud, jazzy music was the general theme of the day, particularly on the surface. Below ground, the music was muted, but still jazzy in nature reflecting the isolated society divorced from the light of the surface. In essence, the music was clearly appropriate to the context of the movie and contributed well to the immersive environment offered by the visuals.

Rating

8 (good)

Presentation

The Region 4 version comes out with a two-disc collector's edition. The first disc (DVD-9) is dedicated almost solely to the movie, with only the trailers also on that disc. A second disc (DVD-5) is dedicated to the extras, and there are plenty on offer: a "making of" Metropolis featurette; interviews with the director and writer; photo galleries of character art and settings; amongst a host of other goodies. In all, a great resource for those interested in going behind the movie to find about how it was put together and what the motivations of the director and writer in adapting this story to the big screen.

The Bottom Line: Metropolis is an amazing adaptation of a very complex manga, and is well worth watching. Admittedly, this movie won't be to everyone's liking and, as suggested at the beginning of this review, you will either really like it or tune out very quickly. There is no sitting on the fence here. This movie would, without reservation, be verging on classic status and is highly recommended to older anime fans interested in a deep and poignant storyline that tests a lot of issues currently facing society and doing it in the "classic" Tezuka format.

Rating

9 (very good)

Final Verdict

8.67 (very good)

Reviewed by davidh01, 1y 1wk ago