Megalopolis

Francis Ford Coppola has spent more than 40 years and an estimated $120 million of his own money trying to bring his self-written sci-fi epic Megalopolis to the big screen.

That enormous effort brings with it hopes and fears for fans of one cinema’s most storied directors. Would it be a fitting swansong for the 85-year-old who made classics like The Godfather films, The Conversation and Apocalypse, Now!, or would it be an old king’s folly – recalling some of the lows of his filmography.

The truth is Megalopolis falls somewhere inbetween. As a film it is completely bonkers. It matches incredible scale and ambition with a pop pulp sensibility that outstrips filmmakers half a century his junior. You can also tell how long it’s been gestating as it’s an incredible mish-mash of themes and ideas seemingly taken from decades of notes and inspirations.

Its plot transports Ancient Rome to a Gotham-like New York City – or rather, New Rome, very much the decaying metropolis of Batman if Bruce Wayne had preferred tunics, togas and orgies to bat costumes.

Genius architect and scientist Cesar Catalina (Adam Driver) wants to remake the city anew with his mind, a mysterious new material called Megalon, and his uncle Hamilton Crassus II (Jon Voight) plutocratic fortune. Standing in his way are Mayor Cicero (Giancarlo Esposito), the discontented masses, and a corrupt elite led by his power-hungry relative Clodio Pulcher (Shia LaBeouf), plus his sex and power-mad mistress Wow Platinum (Aubrey Plaza). Caught in the middle is the Mayor’s daughter Julia (Nathalie Emmanuel) – who can’t help but admire Cesar’s vision but is loyal to her wary father.

Explaining the plot further would make little sense. But it involves control of time, musing over the nature of life and death, a philosophical debate over the danger and desirability of utopian dreams, and what the future holds for mankind – with a few jabs at Donald Trump taken via LaBeouf’s shameless political wannabe.

Given what is at times an incoherent sprawl of themes, all that could have all made for a boring mess.

Yet despite being all over place, Megalopolis is actually at times great fun. New York as a decadent Ancient Rome is often played for knowing laughs at the banality of our own pop culture. The stellar cast turn what could be out-of-kilter scenes into some genuine cinematic moments – including one incredible moment from Voight. Plus Coppola hasn’t lost his ability to understand the scope of cinema.

Megalopolis is far from perfect, but it is wonderfully ambitious and actually pretty fun to watch – even when completely mad.

Mark Worgan

Megalopolis does not have a UK release date yet.

Read more reviews from our Cannes Film Festival 2024 coverage here.

For further information about the event visit the Cannes Film Festival website here.