Megalopolis review: "An indulgent epic that's almost so bad it's good"

GamesRadar+ VerdictAlmost so bad it’s good, Megalopolis has its moments - if you decide not to take it seriously. GamesRadar+ Verdict GamesRadar+ Verdict Almost so bad it’s good, Megalopolis has its moments - if you decide not to take it seriously. Almost so bad it’s good, Megalopolis has its moments - if you decide not to take it seriously. Why you can trust GamesRadar+Our experts review games, movies and tech over countless hours, so you can choose the best for you.Find out more about our reviews policy. Why you can trust GamesRadar+Our experts review games, movies and tech over countless hours, so you can choose the best for you.Find out more about our reviews policy. Megalopolishad its world premiere at the Cannes Film Festival. Here’s our review… The phrase ‘vanity project’ seems entirely fair when applied to Francis Ford Coppola’s indulgent, self-funded epic, although it’s not without entertainment value. From overblown sci-fi concepts to incest and erections, Megalopolis is a comedy of errors in a more literal sense than may have been intended, despite its many Shakespeare references. Lofty ideas and meta references to Coppola suggest that this is a personal ode to his art, and given that the writer/director has worked on it for some 40 years, it’s clearly a passion project. But it is hard to share his reverence for his narrative when the dialogue is mannered to the point of distraction, and each performance seems to come from a different movie. Driver is somber and serious as the grieving hero who’s looking for salvation, while Nathalie Emmanuel is given little to work with in a character whose contradictions remain unexplored. Other female characters are reduced to the sidelines: this is chiefly about a frustrated male genius whose ambitions people don’t always understand. Hmm… And yet, viewed indulgently, Megalopolis is intriguing and often diverting, its more outrageous moments inviting comparisons with cult classics like Showgirls. The costumes and sets are enjoyably opulent, and a few stand-out scenes will go down in movie history – most of them involving Aubrey Plaza in a plunging neckline with a wicked glint in her eye. Megalopolis' release date is currently TBC. For moreupcoming movies, here’s our guide to all of the2024 movie release dateswe know about. More about megalopolisThe latest Megalopolis review is in, and it’s a 5-star Letterboxd score from the divisive movie’s own directorMegalopolis team issues an apology as negative review quotes in the sci-fi’s new trailer turn out to be fakeLatestLeague of Legends co-creator responds to report that Arcane was a “financial miss,” says “people think we make things like Arcane to sell skins, when in reality we sell skins to make things like Arcane"See more latest► More about megalopolisThe latest Megalopolis review is in, and it’s a 5-star Letterboxd score from the divisive movie’s own directorMegalopolis team issues an apology as negative review quotes in the sci-fi’s new trailer turn out to be fakeLatestLeague of Legends co-creator responds to report that Arcane was a “financial miss,” says “people think we make things like Arcane to sell skins, when in reality we sell skins to make things like Arcane"See more latest► More about megalopolisThe latest Megalopolis review is in, and it’s a 5-star Letterboxd score from the divisive movie’s own directorMegalopolis team issues an apology as negative review quotes in the sci-fi’s new trailer turn out to be fake More about megalopolis The latest Megalopolis review is in, and it’s a 5-star Letterboxd score from the divisive movie’s own directorMegalopolis team issues an apology as negative review quotes in the sci-fi’s new trailer turn out to be fake The latest Megalopolis review is in, and it’s a 5-star Letterboxd score from the divisive movie’s own director The latest Megalopolis review is in, and it’s a 5-star Letterboxd score from the divisive movie’s own director Megalopolis team issues an apology as negative review quotes in the sci-fi’s new trailer turn out to be fake Megalopolis team issues an apology as negative review quotes in the sci-fi’s new trailer turn out to be fake LatestLeague of Legends co-creator responds to report that Arcane was a “financial miss,” says “people think we make things like Arcane to sell 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