Movie Review - Metal Lords

Director: Peter Sollett

Genre: Comedy

Runtime: 97 minutes

Year: 2022

Starring: Jaeden Martell, Adrian Greensmith, Isis Hainsworth, Brett Gelman, Joe Manganiello

Description: Two friends (Jaeden Martell, Adrian Greensmith) try to form a heavy metal band with a cellist (Isis Hainsworth) for a Battle of the Bands.

Review: Teenagers Kevin and Hunter want only one thing: to make metal music. And then they’ll be cool. The premise of “Metal Lords” is dead simple. In the run-up to the music competition “The Battle of the Bands”, the two friends practice, have implausible adventures and there is love involved. Exactly as predictable and bland as you expect from a high school movie.

“Metal Lords” is an ode to ‘nerds’, just like in “American Pie” and “Superbad”, a spectacle of hormones, discomfort and brotherhood. Kevin and Hunter play Dungeons and Dragons, hold audition where no one shows up and  they do everything to make their metal band a success.

It’s an amusing film, yet there is a real chemistry missing between the two leads. You never believe nor do you understand their friendship. Hunter is actually a very unlikeable and annoying character and wants everything to go his way. Kevin on the other hand is a very sweet character and somehow he keeps taking Hunter’s crap for a very long time. He isn’t even as much into metal music as Hunter is, but learns to love it because he loves playing music. The connection between Kevin and Emily is much more fun to watch, and more believable.

Somehow, this movie doesn’t really avoid stereotypes either. Metal music fans are stereotypical pictured as devil worshippers and loud people, which is how Hunter is portrayed. When in real life, a lot of metal fans are very introverted people with deep and meaningful thoughts. Hunter even thinks it’s ridiculous when Kevin suggest to add a cellist to the band. There are many symphonic metal bands and many metal fans have an affinity with classical music.

“Metal Lords” is okay, but not innovative. They just added the metal music element to a standard high school flick. Fun for one viewing.

Rating: 2,5/ 5

Netflix Friday - Volume 101

 Some Netflix film tips for the weekend! And there is something for everyone, since I picked a movie for all the different genres.
 

Action: Saving Private Ryan (1998)
Following the Normandy Landings, a group of U.S. soldiers go behind enemy lines to retrieve a paratrooper (Matt Damon) whose brothers have been killed in action.
 

Drama: Jakob the Liar (1999)
During world War II, an ordinary inhabitant of a ghetto (Robin Williams) fakes news about the Allied offensives to inspire hope for other victims of Nazi regime.
 

Comedy: Metal Lords (2022)
Two friends (Jaeden Martell, Adrien Greensmith) try to form a heavy metal band with a cellist (Isis Hainsworth) for the Battle of the Bands.
 

Animation: Spirited Away (2001)
During her family’s move to the suburbs, a sullen 10-year-old girl wanders into a world ruled by gods, witches and spirits, and where humans are changed into beasts.
 

Romance: Their Finest (2016)
A former secretary (Gemma Arterton), newly appointed as a scriptwriter for propaganda films, joins the cast and crew of a major production while the Blitz rages around them.
 

Horror: Anatomy (2000)
A med student (Franka Potente) starts a summer course at Heidelberg University. David’s on her dissection table. She met him the day before on the train. Something’s wrong.
 

Science Fiction: Men in Black: International (2019)
The Men in Black have always protected the Earth from the scum of the universe. In this new adventure, they tackle their biggest treat to date: a mole in the Men in Black organization.
 
 

Crime: Casino (1995)
A tale of greed, deception, money, power, and a murder occur between two best friends: a mafia enforcer (Joe Pesci) and a casino executive (Robert De Niro) compete against each other over a gambling empire, and over a fast-living and fast-loving socialite (Sharon Stone).
 

Thriller: Till Death (2021)
A woman (Megan Fox) is left handcuffed to her dead husband as part of a sick revenge plot. Unable to unshackle, she has to survive as  two killers arrive to finish her off.
 

Documentary: Return to Space (2022)
Offering rare inside access to NASA and SpaceX, this is the thriller story of the nearly 20 year journey to send American astronauts back to space aboard U.S. rockets.
 

Family: Free Willy (1993)
When a boy (Jason James Richter) learns that a beloved killer whale is to be killed by the aquarium owners, they boy risks everything to free the whale.