Film Review: Megalopolis (2024)
Great authors of cinema seldom have the luxury of choosing what will be their last film. Usually, these final entries are clunkers—forgotten works that sit uneasily in an otherwise stellar filmography. This is a general rule of thumb, of course, but it is another matter entirely when the cinema author in question is someone with the sheer clout of Francis Ford Coppola. What appears to be his swan song—2024's epic science fiction drama Megalopolis—suggests that Coppola decided to end his sixty-year career with a bang rather than a whimper. If ending on a high note was his intention, he certainly succeeded in the most literal sense: Megalopolis is a loud, expensive, and visually spectacular farewell. However, while the film will likely be remembered as one of the most notable cinematic events of our time, it is almost certainly not for the reasons Coppola would have liked or anticipated.
The narrative unfolds in an alternate or near-future version of New York City. For reasons never adequately explained, the metropolis has been rechristened "New Rome," populated by citizens who share the names, political leanings, and character traits of the famous personalities of Ancient Rome during its twilight. The protagonist is Cesar Catilina (Adam Driver=. He is a brilliant architect and the head of the Design Bureau, having won a Nobel Prize for his invention of "Megalon"—a revolutionary building material. He is driven by the ambitious project to rebuild the city into a utopia known as Megalopolis. This vision pits him against the establishment. He enjoys the support of Hamilton Crassus III (Jon Voight), his wealthy uncle and banker, but he finds himself in the crosshairs of the city's mayor, Franklyn Cicero (Giancarlo Esposito). Cicero views Catilina's projects as a threat and harbours a personal vendetta, having previously attempted to prosecute the architect for the murder of Cicero's own disappeared wife.
The romantic subplot is equally heavy-handed. Julia (Nathalie Emmanuel), Cicero's daughter, becomes intrigued by Catilina's mysterious ability to stop time. A relationship blossoms, but it is stifled by the jealousy of Crassus' cousin, Clodio Pulcher (Shia LaBeouf), and the machinations of financial news anchor Wow Platinum (Aubrey Plaza). After her explosive breakup with Cesar, Wow marries Crassus but immediately begins a secret conspiracy with Clodio against both the architect and her new husband. It is a classic soap opera structure, dressed up in sci-fi trappings, yet the execution often feels convoluted rather than compelling.
Megalopolis stands as the most ambitious undertaking in Coppola’s filmography, a fact underscored by its incredibly long gestation period. Coppola originally envisioned the project back in the late 1970s, laying the groundwork for a story depicting the twilight of the Roman Republic as an allegory for modern America. The project lingered in development hell for decades. This stagnation was caused by a trifecta of financial woes, the unfortunate timing of the 9/11 attacks (which made the theme of urban ruin and reconstruction too painful to stomach), and, most significantly, Hollywood studios' reluctance to commit the massive budgets necessary for Coppola’s specific artistic vision. In the end, Coppola—who has been more financially successful as a winemaker than as a filmmaker for much of the last few decades—stuck his own neck out and funded the project from his own pocket.
Coppola made absolutely sure that the audience would easily see that this large budget was indeed put to good use. Filmed entirely on locations and studios in Georgia, the retrofuturistic alternate version of New York City is credibly delivered on screen, aided by a heavy reliance on CGI. The director, sometimes resembling a child in a toy store, plays with various cinematic tricks, using every opportunity to flex his technical muscle, particularly in scenes that are meant to be poetic or "surrealistic." He also doesn't miss an opportunity to showcase a wide variety of visual inspirations for his film. From the hairstyles of Roman senators to costumes that channel mid-20th-century fashion, Art Deco architecture, and the excesses of the 1970s disco era, the visual language is eclectic and dense.
The protagonist, Cesar Catilina, was clearly built around various different sources, serving as a composite character. Ayn Rand aficionados will instantly recognise the echoes of Howard Roark, the hero of The Fountainhead; urban planners might think of the controversial real-life figure Robert Moses; and classic history aficionados would easily recognise two figures from the late Roman Republic—Catiline, the leader of the infamous Catilina Conspiracy, and Catiline's friend and part-time supporter, Julius Caesar.
The film is undeniably ambitious, but having his own budget and firmly securing his place in the history of cinema also allowed Coppola to become less concerned with how his film would fare among both general audiences and critics. As a result, he indulged in various artistic experiments far too often. There are scenes that look "cool" but ultimately make little sense, a hallmark of a director who has lost touch with the audience's patience. To say that the plot is difficult to follow would be a profound understatement. The narrative is a labyrinth of political intrigue, family drama, and sci-fi exposition. Even the narration by Laurence Fishburne—who plays Catilina's loyal assistant, Fundi Romaine—doesn't help much, serving more as a reminder of the film's complexity rather than a guide through it.
The acting varies wildly. Adam Driver, usually a reliable presence, too many times seems to be channeling Keanu Reeves in Matrix mode. He lacks genuine chemistry with Nathalie Emmanuel, making their romantic arc feel forced and mechanical. Aubrey Plaza goes hilariously over the top as the power-hungry news anchor, chewing the scenery with gusto. Meanwhile, some older cast members, like an almost unrecognisable Dustin Hoffman, appear to be reduced to glorified cameos. Shia LaBeouf, despite his colourful personality and willingness to commit to a role, is almost unnoticeable in this film, spending much of his screen time covered in drag.
Megalopolis premiered at the Cannes Film Festival where it deeply divided critics. On one side were those who praised Coppola's uncompromising artistic vision; on the other were those who couldn't ignore its obvious flaws, pronouncing it the worst film of the year. The audience largely ignored the film, partly due to a marketing campaign that utilised some fake reviews, and partly due to some alleged abuse allegations surrounding the production. The film cemented its reputation as a massive commercial and critical failure by "winning" the Razzie Awards for Worst Director and Jon Voight for Worst Supporting Actor.
While it cannot be said that Megalopolis doesn't have an interesting or even impressive moment or two—there are moments of visual poetry that rival the director's best work—it is nevertheless a failure. Fifty or sixty years ago, during the heyday of the New Hollywood era, this kind of sprawling, self-indulgent epic might have been all the rage and earned an instant cult status. Today, however, with a more discerning and jaded audience, its wallowing in excess and poor pacing is unlikely to justify viewers spending more than two hours of their lives on it.
RATING: 3/10 (+)
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