Painful to Watch: Coppola’s Sci-Fi Film ‘Megalopolis’ — A Total Disaster with a 120 Million Dollar Budget and Nearly 50 Years in the Making

A preview that divides

Screened in preview during the Cannes Film Festival, Francis Ford Coppola's latest film undoubtedly did not receive the expected reception and probably divided the first spectators.

Carried by Adam Driver, Megalopolis tells the story of Caesar Catiline, a genius architect capable of stopping time who dreams of changing the city of New Rome to build a true utopia. But facing him stands the mayor of the city who prefers to change nothing and defend the most privileged. In the middle of these two men is Julia Cicero, the mayor's daughter, in love with Caesar Catilina, who will have to make a choice and discover what seems best for the future of humanity.

Presented as the filmmaker's dream project, Megalopolis took more than fifty years to see the light of day. A totally over-the-top film, with a budget of over $120 million financed largely by Coppola himself. But upon arrival, the feature film divides. The first opinions are in any case very clear-cut. If the film received a standing ovation during its screening in Cannes, some spectators also booed it.

Megalopolis: what does the press think?

Megalopolis made a big splash shortly before the Cannes Film Festival. The film was initially praised after a first private screening organized by Francis Ford Coppola. But now that the film has been presented at Cannes, the situation has changed. The first opinions of the press were notably divided on Rotten Tomatoes and the least we can say is that the film is controversial. For the moment, the score is low and has difficulty crossing the 50% mark.

For its detractors, Megalopolis would be a film “annoying“, “ugly“, “kitsch“… in short, a complete failure for Coppola who would propose a project here”passionate without passion“Overwhelmed by his own ambition, the filmmaker would have staged a story”anarchic“, “chaotic“, a feeling that the performances”over-the-top“actors would come to accentuate to ultimately deliver a film”poorly designed” And “superficial“.

On the other hand, other critics are much more enthusiastic. Where some see Megalopolis as an outdated film, others see it more as a feature film.intellectual” And “romantic“,”clumsy” but “sincere“which plunges us into the heart of the boiling mind of a master of cinema. A completely new project”mad“, a “meditation on life, the universe and everything else“. In short, regardless of the nature of these opinions, it would seem that Megalopolis is a total cinematic experience that would not leave anyone indifferent.