Megalopolis (2024) - Review
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© Courtersy of Lionsgate
Directed by: Francis Ford Coppola
Written by: Francis Ford Coppola
Starring: Adam Driver, Giancarlo Esposito, Nathalie Emmanuel, Aubrey Plaza, Shia LaBeouf, Jon Voight, Laurence Fishburne, Talia Shire, Jason Schwartzman, Kathryn Hunter, Grace VanderWaal, Chloe Fineman, James Remar, D. B. Sweeney, Dustin Hoffman
Runtime: 138 min
Synopsis: A Roman Epic set in an imagined Modern America. The City of New Rome must change, causing conflict between Cesar Catilina (Adam Driver), a genius artist who seeks to leap into a utopian, idealistic future, and his opposition, Mayor Franklyn Cicero (Giancarlo Esposito), who remains committed to a regressive status quo, perpetuating greed, special interests, and partisan warfare. Torn between them is socialite Julia Cicero (Nathalie Emmanuel), the mayor's daughter, whose love for Cesar has divided her loyalties, forcing her to discover what she truly believes humanity deserves.
© Courtersy of Lionsgate
Editor's Note: Original review was written for FandomWire. Full article can be found below.
REVIEW SUMMARY
Megalopolis is an ambitious epic that attempts to examine numerous thought-provoking themes, but Coppola's vision of societal reconstruction reflects both its grandeur and the inherent flaws of its chaotic execution. Despite immersive visuals and a talented cast, the narrative becomes overloaded with metaphors and philosophical analogies, resulting in an experience that, while provocative, feels confusing and scattered. The central conflict between Cesar and Cicero offers intriguing moments, but the richness of the ideas often gets diluted by the film's excessive complexity. A frustrating disappointment that, even as the creation of one of the greatest filmmakers of all time, still falls prey to the common pitfalls of contemporary cinema.
