Review of Metropolis (1927) by Halukhalis — 03 Feb 2019

Metropolis (1927).

Directed by: Fritz Lang.

Genre: Drama/Science Fiction.

Rated: PG.

Starring: Gustav Frolich, Brigitte Helm, Alfred Abel, and Rudolph Klein-Rogge.

General Public Review: 91.5/100.

Reviewed by: Hh.

In Short: Fritz Lang's Metropolis (1927) is the landmark/seminal silent film of the Science Fiction genre and perhaps even the greatest Science Fiction films.

We are the head and the hands; different respectively; our visions and our actions make us who we are. Yet we are all the same. That's one of the messages I believe is trying to be conveyed here, at least the most important.

The film has, as a whole, themes directly representing German expressionism, yes this is true, and we may see it this way and be content. As for myself, this masterpiece of a film revealed much more to me than what was palpable for a movie created in such a time. I am not denying that what was evident in Germany didn't seep its influence over the film. It's here believe me. Before I venture further let me lay down the essentials for those who have seen it; the film is silent and may not appease a lot of today's viewers of demanding Sci-Fi, so its understandable that one who doesn't plan on viewing it may sink into the spoilers:

Metropolis is as much about its ominous futuristic advancement of edifice and technology as it is about its more human aspects: it's characters. The opening sequence describes to us with visual transitions of gears as a part of the breathtaking city deemed Metropolis forming into the workers of our narrative, the hands. We are soon introduced to Freder, our main protagonist, slightly enjoying the life of the upper class when a mysterious beauty named Maria brings children who belong to the depths workers to Feeder's garden. She evokes him and piques his interest, slightly due to her beauty, by explaining that he should be helping his brothers and his sisters. Directly speaking of the workers who lie below, he seems interested in her plea and tries to chase her and speak to her. He ventures to the Heart Machine and there he witnesses an explosion, where he officially sees the plight and hardship of the workers below. This machine plays a trick to his mind and imagines that what he is seeing is a monster that is consuming these people. "Fed by flesh!" -- "Blood that lubricates the machine!" He feels a natural repulsion for such men and seeks to exhort his father into his wrongdoings. This becomes fruitless, and he then seeks to swap lives with one of the workers and soon finds Maria. Where with her Christ-like ambitions explain to these poor impoverished men and women, how The Tower of Babel (or Metropolis itself) is an idea for the head, and for those who fueled its creation and its destruction had the idea endowed to the hands; each without understanding can never bring peace among themselves. There has to be a mediator, and its the heart that is that every mediator. There, I believe, is a profound take on a religious perspective for such themes here. When Maria implores and leads these workers with her speech, she is surrounded by the Cross. When she speaks of the heart, she says, "Wait, he will come for us." The imagery throughout supports this idea. In the end, Freder is chosen to be that very mediator and its shown here at the threshold of the city's Cathedral man uniting man, heart uniting hand and head. Fitting to end at a Gothic Cathedral, with villain and hero scaling its structure and dueling for a beauty. Reminiscent of The Notre-Dame Cathedral by Victor Hugo, but I won't be picky about this. The film is all about visual storytelling, it's perhaps one of the vastest epics I've ever had the pleasure to come across. With effects and set pieces far beyond its time, I undoubtedly would consider this a masterpiece on this alone.

Its the imagery of Hope, Compassion, our Similarities, our Plights, and our Prosperity, that signifies great importance that can be consumed by viewers today as much as those of the past to solidify its message. So yes, I do believe all should watch this film, and be placed in awe of how gargantuan not only the technical achievement the film persuades, but its message about humanity, no matter how small one might find it as. I myself believe it to be a small rendition of the overall impact of life itself, but an important indelible one portrayed through the wonderful art of filmmaking at that.