‘Megalopolis’ Review: A Manic Fever Dream That Results in a Masterpiece

Francis Ford Coppola is no stranger to legacy storytelling. His most famous string of films in the Godfather trilogy is one of the greatest pieces of American grandiose narrative that’s ever been put on celluloid. He is also no stranger to deep, empathic character studies; The Conversation drills deep into the human condition of paranoia and loneliness. Needless to say, his range is vast. Megalopolis, his latest $100 million personal project, extends that definitive truth even further, expanding upon the monumental scale of his filmmaking.

Francis Ford Coppola’s ‘Megalopolis’ Isn’t What You Think

It wouldn’t be underselling the film to state that the moment a live person walks across the theater and proceeds to speak to Adam Driver’s Cesar Catilina is one of the more tame sequences during the 2-hour and 18-minute epic. Catilina responds to the question brought forth by the live actor, the actor proceeds to jot some notes as though he is a news reporter truly interacting with Catilina, and then exits the theater, allowing the film to resume its descent into historical madness. A totally normal thing for a totally normal movie to execute, right?

Megalopolis is perhaps one of the biggest, nay colossal, attempts at legendary storytelling ever committed to film. Cesar Catilina, a cousin of Clodio Pulcher (Shia LaBeouf) and extended family of Hamilton Crassus III (Jon Voight) — the richest man in existence — has discovered a new building substance, Megala. A malleable, floating, gold-like material that is positioned as the physical embodiment of the future of the city. Set to be sculpted into buildings to flesh out the utopian idea of a new city, Megalopolis, Megala is both a genius and simple stroke from Coppola. It represents hope, ideals, and a tangible future to make a better tomorrow. Until it doesn’t.

Quickly used as a clothing material for a coliseum party in the current city of New Rome (yes, a party taking place in a real coliseum with horse-led chariots, stretched tables, and a segmented zone for the uber-wealthy), the element takes on another life. Congruent to the arc most of our characters embody in one way or another, the fervor for trivialities such as sex, money, and spectacle overcomes the encouraging hope of humanity.

Megalopolis is a fable through and through; the idea of a human civilization that is mere inches away from the gods only to settle for the insignificant satisfaction of what the gods have already given them. A great tragedy told throughout history, set in different time periods — most famously during the Roman Empire era which Coppola uses as a dramatic costuming anchor of the film, and exteriorized by various characters.

Coppola Attempts To Unpack the Overwhelming Nature of Humanity

Overwhelming would be almost too kind of a word to describe Megalopolis. With its carefully curated cast full of Hollywood stalwarts in the likes of Driver, Giancarlo Esposito, and Aubrey Plaza alongside “canceled” performers such as LaBeouf and Voight, there are multitudes not only to the narrative but to the acting decisions brought to life in every scene. Plaza, with her timeless sex appeal and hypnotic eyes, adds the much-needed contemporary component to Coppola’s century-defining telling of the foibles of humanity. At any given moment, there is a vast array of performative achievements paired with the almost more overbearing visual state of affairs.

Of course, the movie hasn’t been without its fair share of controversy. Coppola himself, after being accused of misconduct on set for trying to kiss an extra, is suing both Variety and two of its executive editors for $15 million. Along with this comes the backlash to the latest trailer for the film that prominently displayed quotes generated by AI (although the trailer was quickly walked back and apologized for it still was published). The conversation surrounding the film is sure to play a large role in people’s perception of the project.

For Better or Worse, ‘Megalopolis’ Will Stick With You

Engaging in some of the most unique artistic decisions put to screen, Coppola exhibits his ability, just like Cesar Catilina, to see through art and time; to peer beyond the accomplishments of the past and gaze at the promises of the future. Splitting the screen into three, with each sector prescribing a different auditory or visual sustenance, or putting into practice his famous scene fade editing technique, are just microcosms of the legendary environment he creates. There are few theatrical experiences that have left me stunned in my seat when the credits roll — Megalopolis is one of those.

The myth of man is too big to be told in a single sitting. Sure, there are character arcs that don’t coalesce and the film requires a full-fledged buy-in which is its own hindrance, but the journey to formulate legacy isn’t a straight path. The undeniable mesmerism that Megalopolis elicits is accomplishment enough to warrant fascination at what Francis Ford Coppola has put to celluloid. Perhaps the film itself is stuck on the precipice of godliness. Perhaps it’s already an ancient artifact about the foibles of modern-day filmmaking. And perhaps it’ll be just enough to push the world forward to a better tomorrow, just as Cesar Catilina would hope.

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