Rent Megalopolis (2024)

Big Bloated Glossy Blob of Muddled Mediocrity - with an all-star cast - Megalopolis review by PV

I almost turned this off after 30 minutes. It's that sort of film.

Very confused, expensive, glossy spectacle, this is, interesting rather than enjoyable.

I felt NO emotional connection with ANy character - a problem when an audience has to care about characters when good or bad stuff happens to them.

Some great-looking scenes, a couple of shocks and twists. But the plot all seems very pointless.

Nice to see Giancarlo Esposito who shone so bright in Breaking Bad, and real movie stars too, like Dustin Hoffman, looking very doddery but then he is 87.

Not sure if it is meant to be a satire on the USA and Trump, but if so, it fails.

Watch GLADIATOR instead of 1964's CLEOPATRA or maybe THE RISE AND FALL OF THE ROMAN EMPIRE. Or goodie-v-baddie sci-fi like Star Wars.

1.5 stars rounded up.

Disastrous, overblown, unwatchable - Megalopolis review by Alphaville

To be charitable, this is a bit of a mess. To be truthful, it’s a complete mess. Yes, it really is as bad as you’ve heard. All 2.15hrs of it. A waste of talent for all concerned, not just legendary director Coppola, but legendary actors such as Dustin Hoffman. Even young lead Adam Driver, for no reason whatsoever, is reduced at one stage to attempting Hamlet’s ‘To be or not to be’ speech. The idea being preached here is that modern-day New York is like ancient Rome heading for the Fall. The preachiness extends as far as a repetitive and irritating voiceover to ram it home.

What about the plot? You mean, there’s a plot? There have been many disastrous vanity projects in the history of the cinema. This is right up there among them. Oh, Francis, that it should come to this. Has he become so untouchable that no-one somewhere along the line could have had a quiet word in his ear?

Superb, riveted for 2 1/4 hrs - Megalopolis review by JD

I know this has had a lot of average reviews but I was glued to the screen for the entire running time. I loved the conceit of attempting to make a Roman epic set in New York. Sure, elements are a mess, like Dustin Hoffman's character who seems to have wandered in from Goodfellas. There is also a sub-plot concerning an errant Soyuz about to crash into Earth that doesn't go anywhere. Anyway, sit back and enjoy the confusing but optimistic images.