Current:Home > BackIs Coppola's $120M 'Megalopolis' 'bafflingly shallow' or 'remarkably sincere'? Critics can't tell-LoTradeCoin
Is Coppola's $120M 'Megalopolis' 'bafflingly shallow' or 'remarkably sincere'? Critics can't tell
View Date:2024-12-23 16:34:07
Francis Ford Coppola's 40-year passion project "Megalopolis" has finally arrived, but critics are divided on whether the science fiction epic was worth the wait.
The film, which premiered at Cannes Film Festival, has received mixed reviews from festivalgoers, with some calling the drama "staggeringly ambitious" and others dubbing the long-awaited movie "absolute madness."
Deadline and The Guardian report "Megalopolis" received a seven-minute standing ovation Thursday night. Coppola, 85, first conceived the film in the 1970s and development began in 1983. After several false starts and cancellations, the "Godfather" filmmaker revived the project in 2019 and used $120 million of his own money to fund it.
The ensemble cast includes Adam Driver, Giancarlo Esposito, Nathalie Emmanuel, Aubrey Plaza, Shia LaBeouf, Jon Voight, Jason Schwartzman, Laurence Fishburne, Kathryn Hunter and Dustin Hoffman.
The film follows an architect who "wants to rebuild New York City as a utopia following a devastating disaster," according to IMDb. The movie is a "Roman Epic fable set in an imagined Modern America," according to the film synopsis on the Cannes website.
Need a break? Play the USA TODAY Daily Crossword Puzzle.
Driver plays Cesar Catilina, a "genius artist who seeks to leap into a utopian, idealistic future," but Mayor Franklyn Cicero, played by Esposito, "remains committed to a regressive status quo, perpetuating greed, special interests, and partisan warfare." Emmanuel plays the mayor's socialite daughter, Julia, "whose love for Cesar has divided her loyalties, forcing her to discover what she truly believes humanity deserves."
Francis Ford Coppola's 'Megalopolis'trailer abuzz ahead of Cannes Film Festival debut
In the caption for the movie's trailer on YouTube, Coppola said, "Our new film MEGALOPOLIS is the best work I've ever had the privilege to preside over."
'Megalopolis' Rotten Tomatoes score matches critics' split
Critics are split evenly down the middle on the star-studded film. On Rotten Tomatoes, 50% of 24 critics' reviews were positive.
Cannes 2024to feature Donald Trump drama, Francis Ford Coppola's 'Megalopolis' and more
Esther Zuckerman of The Daily Beast wrote that the film is a "laughingstock" and "stilted, earnest, over the top, CGI ridden, and utterly a mess." The Guardian's Peter Bradshaw wrote that the film was "megabloated and megaboring" and a "bafflingly shallow film, full of high-school-valedictorian verities about humanity's future."
Meanwhile, David Fear of Rolling Stone said the film is "uncompromising, uniquely intellectual, unabashedly romantic, broadly satirical yet remarkably sincere about wanting not just brave new worlds but better ones." And Bilge Ebiri of Vulture said the movie "might be the craziest thing I've ever seen. And I'd be lying if I said I didn’t enjoy every single (expletive) second of it."
Joshua Rothkopf of the Los Angeles Times called out fans and critics with expectations of the film being a "masterpiece," saying there is "much to enjoy" from the "weird" and "juicy" film.
Coppola has said his film "Apocalypse Now" suffered a similar fate, with polarizing criticisms upon its release at Cannes in 1979 before ascending to acclaim and becoming a New Hollywood classic.
veryGood! (4931)
Related
- Mississippi rising, Georgia falling in college football NCAA Re-Rank 1-134 after Week 11
- Pitbull reacts to 'Give Me Everything' song in 'Bridgerton' carriage scene: 'Timeless'
- First-time homebuyers aren't buying until mortgage rates drop. It could be a long wait.
- Final 'Evil' season goes all in on weird science and horrors of raising an antichrist baby
- Jury awards Abu Ghraib detainees $42 million, holds contractor responsible
- Pro-Palestinian protesters leave after Drexel University decides to have police clear encampment
- When and where you can see May's Flower Moon
- Stars vs. Oilers: How to watch, live stream and more to know about Game 1
- Jury awards Abu Ghraib detainees $42 million, holds contractor responsible
- CNN Commentator Alice Stewart Honored By Wolf Blitzer, Jake Tapper and More After Her Death
Ranking
- Bill on school bathroom use by transgender students clears Ohio Legislature, heads to governor
- New York Senate passes bill to tighten legal standard Harvey Weinstein used to toss rape conviction
- Jennifer Lopez’s Answer to Ben Affleck Breakup Question Will Leave Your Jaw on the Floor
- 'The Kardashians' Season 5: Where to watch, episode schedule, date, time, streaming info
- Pete Alonso's best free agent fits: Will Mets bring back Polar Bear?
- Dollar Tree sued by Houston woman who was sexually assaulted in a store
- Most in Houston area are getting power back after storm, but some may have to wait until the weekend
- Cassie Breaks Silence After Sean Diddy Combs Assault Video Surfaces
Recommendation
-
2 striking teacher unions in Massachusetts face growing fines for refusing to return to classroom
-
Venus Williams among nine women sports stars to get their own Barbie doll
-
Why Glen Powell Is Leaving Hollywood Behind to Move Back to Texas
-
White House pushes tech industry to shut down market for sexually abusive AI deepfakes
-
West Virginia expands education savings account program for military families
-
The USPS is repeatedly firing probationary workers who report injuries, feds claim
-
NYC is beginning to evict some people in migrant shelters under stricter rules
-
Judge agrees to delay Hunter Biden trial in California tax fraud case as Delaware trial looms