Verdict:
When you have a silent movie from the 1927, it is tempting for a reviewer to lower the bar a little. The effects were not as good back then; there was no colour; the theatre actors are still adjusting to a film set; the directors and producers did not yet have a century of experience to draw from. Let’s give it a break. However, it turns out lowering the bar is not necessary.
The narrative has its good and its bad moments. It is a sci-fi adventure and has many modern elements like a person’s evil double or the final physical fight between the villain and the protagonist. Watching this film, a bunch of other more recent movies flashed in my mind, from Blade Runner to Matrix to Judge Dredd, many of which appear to have been directly or indirectly influenced by this film.
The setting is a dystopian future, with extreme difference between the ruling and working classes. It is a theme that countless other movies would later pick, and which eventually developed into the cyberpunk style. Today this theme is worn-out, but back in 1927 this theme may have been closer to reality than it is today and not nearly as worn out yet.
Either way, the scenes built using this theme are fascinating, as the main character is sent on an adventure through the futuristic city. The movie uses strong Christian concepts modified to fit the story and the futuristic setting.
In the second half of the film the story takes a few unpleasant missteps. At one point, the film decided to skip a whole scene and instead gives the viewer a title card explaining what had happened – a choice that comes out of nowhere and does not repeat itself. Did you guys shoot a scene and then lose it or what? Furthermore, believability issues arise, like during the scene when the enraged masses suddenly forget about their children being in danger. The ending also feels rushed and not very plausible. These strange occurrences come across much better if you take the film as an abstract piece and its events as symbolic, but the movie does not present itself that way. Its characters are real with real motivations.
Amongst the notable performances is the leader of the city is played by Alfred Abel and this guy is phenomenal. He does so much with just his eyes alone. But, as is typical for movies of that time, sometimes the style of acting becomes extremely expressive, especially the crazy scientist. Arms are swinging around, and fingers are inventing more extreme ways to bend at the joints, which feels wholly unnecessary.
The best thing about Metropolis is probably the way it looks, and I argue that it looks great even by today’s standards. It is hard to take your eyes off the art. The sense of scale is stunning. The sets are huge and the creators took full advantage of the available room, making them look even bigger than they are. The movie has special effects, half a century before the first computer generated effects.
The fact that the film is in black and white does not even seem like a limitation. If Metropolis was released today, it would probably also be in black and white because it suits this film and its themes very well.
The scale, the architecture, the way the lights reflect in the irises of the characters. This movie is must-see even if you do not care for the story. It is amazing that this was made in the Weimar Republic that had only recently come out of an economic black hole.
Do some of the things look a bit artificial? Well, yes. Propeller biplanes show up as flying cars and obviously feel a bit outdated. The robot design is archaic. But even the things that look dated still fit perfectly within the artistic style of the film.
As for the music, the Germans have not lost touch with their roots. Heavy tubas and big drums give an epic and heavy ambiance to the machine city. Sometimes there is a distinct melody, other times the tune is a bit more generic, but it always remains effective.
Metropolis is a film that is truly ahead of its time. Replace some of the older props, add voices and you have yourself a modern sci-fi film. There may be some issues with its narrative, especially in the 2nd half, but overall, it is a fascinating watch.