This Scandinavian production takes an Orwellian look at the advertising industry in a dystopian future where Europe has become one cultureless shade of grey. The protagonist, Roger (Vincent Gallo) must team up with a beautiful former model Nina (Juliette Lewis) to stop the voices in his head and take down an evil corporation intent on reading everyones minds. As far as stories go, Metropia is fairly generic but its animation is what truly sets the movie apart. Blending together photography, CG and cut-outs, the films aesthetic is reminiscent of Terry Gilliams work and somehow manages to be both oppressively drab and visually arresting. You really buy into this industrialized nightmare where an entire continent is linked via a subterranean rail network. As previously mentioned there are a lot of tropes at play throughout the narrative: a sinister futuristic game show, an omnipresent villain with its sights set on total control and a resistance movement seeking to overthrow a corrupt system. Far from lessening the quality of the piece (which is really more of a visual showcase than a tale for the ages) it allows you to enjoy the familiar plot beats through a new lens. If you like your animation gritty and just the right amount of strange, Metropia is a film you cant afford to leave off your watch list.
A pop culture mad writer from the North East who loves films, television and debating them with whoever will listen.
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