About the film (courtesy of Lionsgate):
The City of New Rome must change, causing conflict between Cesar Catilina, a genius artist who seeks to leap into a utopian, idealistic future, and his opposition, Mayor Franklyn Cicero, who remains committed to a regressive status quo, perpetuating greed, special interests, and partisan warfare. Torn between them is socialite Julia Cicero, the mayor’s daughter, whose love for Cesar has divided her loyalties, forcing her to discover what she truly believes humanity deserves.
Francis Ford Coppola’s Megalopolis arrives with the weight of a filmmaker’s legacy and the ambition to match. A sprawling epic set in a futuristic New York City rebuilt after a devastating event, the film dares to be both an intimate character study and a grand commentary on society. Yet, in its reach for greatness, Megalopolis stumbles, becoming a testament to the perils of unchecked ambition.
At the heart of the film is an ensemble cast, each navigating the complexities of a city grappling with its past and future. Adam Driver delivers a nuanced performance as the idealistic architect, Cesar Catilina, burdened with the vision of a utopian city. Giancarlo Esposito’s Mayor Cicero is a compelling counterpoint, a pragmatist wary of Cesar’s grand designs. The supporting cast, including Nathalie Emmanuel, Aubrey Plaza, Jon Voight, Shia LaBeouf, Jason Schwartzman, D.B. Sweeney, Chloe Fineman and Laurence Fishburne, further enrich the tapestry, each adding their own shade to the film’s palette.
Coppola’s vision for Megalopolis is undoubtedly ambitious. The film’s production design is a marvel, painting a vivid picture of a city reborn from the ashes. The cinematography captures the grandeur of the architecture and the intimacy of the characters’ lives. The score adds a layer of emotional depth, weaving its way through the film’s highs and lows.
Yet, for all its visual and auditory splendor, Megalopolis struggles to find its footing narratively. The film’s plot is convoluted, with multiple storylines (power struggles galore and love stories) vying for attention. The pacing is uneven, with moments of brilliance interspersed with stretches of tedium. The dialogue, while occasionally insightful, often feels stilted and unnatural. The film’s thematic ambitions, while admirable, are not fully realized, leaving the audience with more questions than answers.
The central conflict between Cesar and Cicero, while promising on paper, fails to ignite on screen. There are many other sub-conflicts to be had throughout the grueling 138 minute runtime. Driver and Esposito are both capable actors, but their chemistry is lacking. Their characters’ motivations are unclear, their actions often illogical. The supporting characters, while well-cast, are underdeveloped, their storylines feeling like afterthoughts.
The film’s ending is particularly frustrating, offering little resolution and leaving many loose ends dangling. The audience is left with a sense of incompleteness, as if the film ended before it truly began. The final moments, while visually striking, feel hollow, devoid of emotional weight.
Megalopolis is a film of grand ambition and missed opportunities. It is a testament to Coppola’s unwavering vision and a cautionary tale about the perils of overreach. The film’s technical achievements are undeniable, but they are not enough to save it from its narrative shortcomings.
In the end, Megalopolis is a frustrating experience, a film that promises much but delivers little. There are more Shakespearean soap opera moments than one would like. It is a colossal reach for greatness that falls short, leaving the audience with a sense of disappointment and unfulfilled potential. Coppola’s ambition is admirable, but it is not enough to make this experience a truly great film.
For better or worse, Megalopolis will be in theaters everywhere starting Friday, September 27th.
