David Nulty

Official Review of Francis Ford Coppola's Megalopolis: (Doesn't contain significant spoilers) Francis Ford Coppola's Megalopolis is an ambitious and profoundly challenging cinematic endeavor that, while often frustrating and bewildering, ultimately proves a compelling, albeit flawed, experience. Initially feeling deliberately pretentious and even "intolerable," the film gradually reveals layers of intriguing visual cues—metaphorical, surreal, and intentionally perplexing imagery—that hint at deeper thematic intent. The film's portrayal of "New Rome," a city steeped in corruption and decadence, strongly resonates as a biting critique of urban centers and their leadership, particularly evoking feelings about places especially like D.C., particularly New York, Chicago, Atlanta, San Francisco and Los Angeles. This exploration of societal decay and the clash between idealism and cynical power structures is a persistent and impactful theme. Performances, particularly Adam Driver as Cesar Catilina, stand out, with Driver bringing a compelling "masterfully sardonic rather suitably borderline sinister fashion" to his role, embodying a sense of ambitious, established heritage. However, the film's narrative structure is often messy, with erratic pacing and a lack of clear foreshadowing contributing to a sense of disorientation. A specific scene involving a philanthropic pledge for a virginity cause is a prime example of the film's "supremely demented" and "delectably unsubtle" approach, exposing what feels like "absurd cring-worthy deep-seated hypocrisy" among the elite. These moments, while "insufferable," are also "mesmerizingly shunting," highlighting the film's fearless, if often uncomfortable, confrontation with dark truths. As the film progresses, a sense of witnessing a "slow-motion train wreck" builds, and while the film appears to explore themes of "tragic genius," the final third struggles to maintain the momentum of its earlier aesthetics. The visuals, such as the "surprisingly amateurish golden grown city," feel inconsistent, and the story becomes rushed. (Stop Here!! Minor Spoiler ahead:)The moment of Cesar's shooting is seen as a pivotal point where the film's core narrative effectively "ended or died," with events thereafter, particularly the sudden shift towards utopia, feeling unbelievable and unsatisfying, save for the plausible depiction of the family's temporary downfall. (Begin: Non-spoilers ahead) Ultimately, despite its ambitious scope, striking visuals, and moments of compelling weirdness that invite comparisons to challenging filmmakers like Gilliam, Kubrick, Tarkovsky, and Cronenberg, Megalopolis doesn't cohere into a fully successful film. It feels more like "a 5/8 of a movie," ambitious and thought-provoking in parts, but ultimately let down by its execution, particularly in its conclusion. While not necessarily a complete regret, it's a film that is difficult to recommend broadly due to its significant flaws, even as it sparks intense reactions and prolonged contemplation.