User reviews

I just screened this in advance of its showing at the San Francisco International Animation Festival. It's an interesting film, more for its technique than its narrative. Set in the not-to-distant future in a VERY bleak world, it tells the story of one man's fight against an evil corporation's machinations. Nothing really new narrative-wise, but the plot really isn't the point of this film. It's the animation. The process uses photomontage as its basis, and is quite creepy in its execution. The voice work is well done, and it's always good to see/hear cult film fave Udo Kier. If you enjoyed "1984" or "Brazil," you might want to check this film out.

Take a trip to Europe in the year 2024. This is a dark age, where the automobile is no longer in use, replaced by a cross country subway system. The most popular product on the market (in fact pretty much the only item) is a shampoo manufactured with a secret mind controlling chemical, which the major corporations use to monitor the public in George Orwell fashion.

In an age where animation can do anything, the decision to do almost nothing certainly stands out in film. Metropia is without doubt the bleakest animated feature I know; a murky institutional world, without a drop of color or sunshine, and everywhere we go is under lit. This makes enough sense when taking into account that this is a future where society is low on energy.

Not everything however feels credible. The absence of people in great numbers is unusual. The few people who do wander in and out of frame are almost hollow shells. They have no soul, but more importantly they have no movement. Metropia uses the least amount of energy possible to give life to illustrations. To attempt to describe it is not impossible, but it's something that is better off seen for ones self. Metropia is a haunting experience. It's almost a ghost world, not just from the absence of sight, but from the absence of sound. Metropia makes effective use of silence in all the right places, accompanied by an effective, very new age score.

As for the storyline, it is familiar, but not painfully so. It's similar to Brazil, which itself is the product of George Orwell's influence. The climax here feels a bit rushed, and easy, leaving Metropia a bit shorter than I think it should've been, but it remains an entertaining experiment.

One gets accustomed to certain styles of animation, not to mention certain themes. It's either for kids or adults, and it's either 2D or 3D. Of course there are exceptions but for the sake of simplicity, this Manichean duality dominates the market. It's rare that a film emerges that challenges these notions but Tarik Saleh's Metropia does that in fairly interesting ways. The style is an bit of a mash-up between 2 and 3 D - the frames are digitally composited from head shots that have been stretched and squashed then placed on smallish bodies creating creepy caricatures of the actors being photographed. The effect, visually, is of the puppetry in a Thunderbirds (or Supercar) episode as designed by Drew Friedman, with a heavy dose of dark Gilliam"esquire." despair. The animation is stiff, stylized and intentionally rough and jerky. Metropia is not super deep at it core, but it reminds me of the Heavy Metal comics I used to devour when I was a teenager, and that's not at all bad.

It's 2024, the world is running out of oil, and Europe has been connected via a huge subway system. The skies are always gray and it rains all the time. Roger, our protagonist, a bald, hydrocephalic, stoop-shouldered everyman, is afraid to take the metro because he has been hearing voices. He lives with his girlfriend who seems to always be on another planet. One morning, Roger is forced to take the metro because his bike (which he was using illegally anyway) has been destroyed. Sure enough, he begins to hear voices, a voice that has been seeping into his life away from the Metro, on top of everything. On that fateful subway ride, he sees Nina, the spitting image of the girl on his shampoo bottle - a shampoo called Dangst, if that gives any clue as to the relative depth of the film in question. On impulse - despite the urging of the voice in his head - Roger follows Nina, and discovers the world, not far beneath the surface, is not quite what it seems.

As I mentioned, the concepts are pretty thin. The requisite global corporate conspiracy, the rampant consumerism in a dysfunctional dystopia, and the soul-dead protagonist in a souls dead world, are requisite tropes for a film like this. Of course, They have been executed more competently, and in more depth, elsewhere, but the strength of Metropia is its visuals. It is animated for a reason. To that end, the spare, creepy animation style suits the film perfectly. By now, whiz-bang 3D animations are the norm, the rule, so it's at first disconcerting to see animation used so sparingly, minimally and strangely. But this is the point. The world has had all the life and energy sucked out of it, it's no wonder there's not much energy left for the inhabitants of said world. The familiar grey palette allows for even the most subdued tan coat and blonde hair of Nina's to stand out. This lack of movement is also a symbol of conformity. Literally, don't stand out.

Despite its familiar themes, Metropia is worth screening for the simple marriage of form and function it represents. It's a brave filmmaker, who, in this age of Avatar, chooses to make a quiet, simple, creepy film. Saleh, gives us a film, not breathtaking in it's scope, or necessarily ground breaking (except for what it doesn't strive to achieve: mindless spectacle) but calm, understated and worthy, for serious fans of animation, and the brand of sci if familiar to fans of Heavy Metal (the magazine, not the movie).

can't quite understand the negative reviews on this movie. yes, the animation isn't 'high tone' but the story line will keep you glued to the movie.

the other more positive reviewers have finely analyzed and explained this short movie so i will not repeat their efforts. but i do suggest to give this most unusual film a look.

there are some weak spots in the story but as a whole it all works! it's different in look and atmosphere and isn't that what movie buffs seek out.

please don't approach this little gem of a movie expecting a wow wee in special effects. that's not what it's about. i believe the director is making a subtle comment on our times.

I have watched this move on a hint, haven't expected it to be much, but in the end it turned out swell. The atmosphere created and the style of the movie is excellent. I have really enjoyed it, as it is not heavy, but more tranquil-food-for-thought kind of movie.

The number of allegories in the movie is overwhelming, and there are many connections with how the society functions today.

The low ratings for this movie are almost certainly there because of the complexity of the work, not because it is bad. Getting to IMDb it immediately reminded me about Aronofsky's Fountain, which had (and still has) sub par user rating compared to the quality of the work.

I think that Metropia is worthwhile and enjoyable work, and can recommend it.

it could be a dark utopia. or only reflection of present. in fact, it is a portrait. for fears, searches, self definitions, paranoia, secrets, conspiracies and perception of life as a long and gray chain of day by day. in same measure, it is a kind of explanation. for hidden realities, for dreams and expectations, for the status of people as tools, for the reasons escaping to the predictability, so, a reflection support. one far to be bad because animation is always inspired form for remind basic truths.

A very unique Scandinavian-English language film from the technical aspect. The only one kind in the whole world which is actually an experimental product from the new productions. It was made primarily using photoshop, and then adobe after effects for animation. If you're wondering what kind it is, actually a 2.5D animation, that means it is neither 2D or 3D, but between those two. Like tricking the 2D object as the 3D material.

Well they have succeeded to bring a visually impressive animation that mainly focused on the film character faces. The story was decent which is another dystopian concept where metro trains are the main content, hence it is called 'Metropia'. But the title also means 'visual refraction', that's what the story is slightly related too.

Anyway, it was very suspenseful till the final and mostly talking drama than physical action sequences. At some point I felt it was like the recent stop-motion animation 'Anomalisa', but realised that I predicted wrong and the story travelled in a different path to end decently. Though the overall film was very impressive from both technical and narrative wise. One must not miss it, just for a its rare kind, especially you like animations, but best suitable for adults.

7/10

I kept waiting for something interesting to happen but it never did.

It is an anti-capitalist fairy-tale set in the near future.

The animation style is unusual and original but no one seems to have noticed that different is always the same as good. You have some photo-realistic parts, mostly the faces, coupled with animated parts but neither is done well. In the animated parts any movement, walking in particular, looks like those 1950s cartoons where everything is jerky, more like the movement of a puppet than a person, maybe this is an intentional style but it just looks badly drawn. In the photo-realistic parts they are just realistic enough to make their flaws seem bigger, the faces look excellent when not moving but when they should be showing facial expressions they look dead, and this is distracting in a way that normal animation isn't.

The plot is rubbish; a dull, unimaginative and unoriginal story with nothing to recommend it.

The pace is really slow, this might be because 10 minutes of plot is being stretched into a whole film.

The characters have little personality and what they have isn't likable.

I like dark films, I like sci-fi, I like animation and yet I honestly could not find a single thing to like in this film.

It's a story somewhere in the lines of 1984. Dystopian is a genre in itself and it's part of the New World Order conspiracy which has been the theme of many cinema and literature since the 50ies. So yes the core of the story is an old one and all has to come from the graphics, characters and small storyline differences.

In that aspect it's not a masterpiece but it is surely nothing to sneeze at. The animation is very okay. The characters are very average human beings which makes them easy to relate to and likable. The fact that the story is not completely new is not disturbing. Very much worth watching.

It's a really great idea, the concept of the voices. And then taking it to another level. The animation might need a bit of time getting used to, but it does work excellent once you get into that mindset (no pun intended). You should be easily offended by nudity too, if you want to watch. There's not much of it, but there is some, so be careful if you don't like animated nudity then.

The concept should win you over, if you like conspiracies and it will satisfy them too. A really good sci-fi movie with a great voice cast (if you have the disc, watch the voice recording feature) and some nice overall ideas then.

The film uses an animation technique not unlike a photographic quality South Park. That technique is visually interesting but eventually cripples the narrative because no one can move very fast or even effectively turn their heads. Everyone seems to be wearing a neck brace. And in the few "action" sequences, characters only shuffle a little more quickly than usual, like crabs rushing from the next wave.

The dialog is particularly frustrating. The characters in this movie are determined not to convey any information with words. You might as well watch without the sound because no one is able to construct a complete sentence. The protagonist in particular stumbles over his words in a way that just gets tedious after a while.

There are really no significant science fiction ideas either. The film ends where it began. It's a shame too because the performances are fine, and obviously a lot of work went into the animation. But there was nothing here for me. And since I put in my 2 hours, I'm compelled to tell others that it was wasted in my opinion.

a dystopia. not different by many others, under the same George Orwell mark. but fascinating for its special beauty. dark, cold, ashes atmosphere, a story about a kind of ghosts or zombies, almost an experiment with any success ambition. a film about future like a very simple puzzle. few elements, an unusual hero, crumbs of sexuality, pieces from Brazil. not real convincing, it is only a question from a long evening, warning about technology and one of that stories about nothing who, after their end, remains a confuse collection of memories with role of emotions. the strange beauty is the basic virtue of film. and that could be all. or, only , the beginning to see again.

I have never seen animation like this before and found it impressive. This could have been a Phillip K. Dick story. I was expecting more of a scifi thriller like soylent green, but the suspense never materialized. Worth a watch for its unique animation .

So first of all: In general I am a big fan of low-budget and small films. I think thats where the real passion is.

And Metroia really was a one-man-thing. At least that what I took from it. So there is a pretty impressive achievement here. No doubt. I respect that. I like that.

So it kinda hurts me that I have to say that Metropia would have been a better short film then a feature. It sometimes just dragged. And not in a moody or artistic way (dont worry, I am all in for Tarkovsky and Co) but just with spans of scenes that are not interesting. You can argue that a certain kind of monotony helps you understand the character better. I guess thats correct. But there was still a little underwhelming taste in the end.

Tarik Saleh's Metropia is for me the most striking animated film of the decade. It's crafted with a process called photo montage, in which the likenesses of the actors, or vague traces of them, are mapped into stunningly rendered images of eye boggling depth and clarity. The color palette and tone is groggy, grey and bleak, but because of the dazzling animation, such bleary proceedings seem gorgeous, a feast for the eyes and minds of anyone who loves innovative technology. The story itself isn't particularity groundbreaking, although well executed and with moments of singular brilliance. Because of the unique visuals on display though, we coast along on that high, and the story rises to meet it. Oddball cult favourite Vincent Gallo plays Roger, a timid office drone in a drab futuristic Europe, connected by an intricate underground metro system. He begins to hear voices, which are nefarious in nature, and lead him on a search that brings him to a multinational corporation involved in mind and body control for the sake of product sales, run by tyrant tycoon Ivan Bahn (Udo Kier, having a ball). He's pursued by the companies security force, headed up by Ralph (Stellan Skarsgard) and meets the voice itself, a drone just like him played by Alexander Skarsgard. He is aided by the mysterious Nina ( Juliette Lewis) in his search for the truth and a way out of the confusing conspiracy plaguing him. It's a paced, methodical movie, instead of loud diversions or cheap thrills, like a lot of animated gunk these days. It uses its skills sparingly to advance plot, making the magic in its animation all the more impactful when we do get to see it. It's also really funny in parts. It owes it's story to Orwellian efforts like 1984, as well as Terry Gilliam's Brazil, but makes an effort to break new ground of its own. A treat, if you're able to find it anywhere.

"Metropia" certainly wasn't no "Metropolis", nor was it worthy of being compared to "1984", either.

Metaphorically speaking, I found "Metropia" to be the sort of movie that began at a severe disadvantage with it already having one foot planted firmly in the grave. And, then, from that point it basically buried itself so deeply in its own bleak blandness that it inevitably rendered itself completely and forgettably dead.

Not only was Metropia's style of CG animation very difficult to get used to (it was saturated with exceedingly grubby and ugly imagery), but, its story never succeeded in getting anywhere near to being in the least bit interesting, nor thought-provoking.

And, besides that, at an almost unendurable 86-minute running time, Metropia certainly turned out to be a brutal test of my patience. This was the sort of film where virtually nothing happened, and, so, with that, it could've easily been edited down to, say, 25 minutes and its final product wouldn't have suffered one bit.

But, hey, if you, yourself, greatly enjoy animated, Sci-Fi stories where the characters all seem to come across as being a collective bunch of nondescript schlumps (and, even the sex scenes are schlumpy and not worth paying much attention to), then, yes, perhaps Metropia is the right movie for you.

Set in a dysfunctional, European society of the future (like, as though Europe wasn't dysfunctional enough already), Metropia tells the wishy-washy tale about giant, evil corporations who are seriously manipulating its gullible citizens with consumer products (like shampoo) that contain mind-controlling chemicals which turn them into mindlessly obedient drones who never feel the need to question anything.

And, after seeing Metropia, if you come to the conclusion that its story has a decidedly "been there/seen that" familiarity to it, then you are so right. It does.

I found it really hard to believe that this film's budget was a whopping $32 million. Boy, I'm telling you, there was absolutely nothing about Metropia's final product that even hinted at the word "expensive". It all looked pretty cheap to me.

This film certainly is grim and grimy to look at but it is interesting and I consider that high praise. It reminds me a bit of Red Spectacles in which Mamoru Oshii has all of his film in black and white with a good film noir look, except for the spectacles, which are of doubtful utility and doubtful provenance. In this film the femme fatal is colorful and most of the rest of the crowded herd is as bland as the scenery.

What is missing here is motivation for the grand sweep of the underlying conspiracy. Like Douglas Adams wrote, "Was it just some bug eyed monster trying to take over the universe for no very good reason." In this case our hero seeks to find out why he is malcontent and why he hears voices and finds answers to both but no real solutions and this is unfortunate, because while his problems are his own the portrayed conspiratorial play has no clear purpose, unless it's just to take over the world to make money, but that is a tired and threadbare plot played out in Washington every day. Ho hum.

But his search and his Orphic trek through the underworld of a Future Europe is interesting and worth looking at. It is also interesting as a computer graphic style using live actors and reprocessing them, apparently, to cartoon proportions. This is something you get used to soon enough and so has no obvious reason, except that it is kind of neat. Perhaps I missed something.

Before seeing this film I heard it was made with an innovative visual style, so challenging the technical aspects took a long time to create. But what struck me immediately when it began was how bad it looked. Those who called this visually impressive can't be serious, the film is simply ugly. At parts I feel like I'm watching a video game from the 90s. There is absolutely no depth in the picture, the movements are extremely slow and everything is overall so stiff. The characters are so lifeless it's like you are watching statues. But someone might say the technical is not all. I agree with that but the design is just as bad. The dystopian scenery has no originality, just the normal stuff in this kind of genre. If the houses and stuff are just the regular the design of the humans is kind of special but in a negative way. They look like statues made of clay. They've come somewhat close to the uncanny valley effect. The big heads and slow animation make them seem so lifeless it just gets worse. The voice acting is surprisingly weak, surprising because there are some usually good actors in the cast. But the voices are so wooden, it causes the characters to feel even more lifeless if possible. But maybe the dull acting is to blame on the directing and script, which brings me to the story. So the outside of the film is very poor but is there something on the inside then? The simple answer is no. I've already established that there can be zero development in the characters and the plot just maintains the low quality. The story is just stupid. Inspired by the 1984 kind of stuff but developed to something laughably dumb. Naturally it never gets the least interesting but it's also so ridiculous one feels embarrassed to be watching it. Who approved this story I cannot imagine. The story is not just dumb it's extremely thin, lacks in any substance and most twists are so poorly explained anyone pretty soon into the film realises most of it makes no sense. But it's so bad that one couldn't care less. Metropia must be one of the most boring films I've seen in years. If there is anything to be thankful about it's that the film is not that long but I still struggled to keep myself awake. To summarize Metropia is just plain rubbish. Visuals, technique, design, characters, story, everything fails completely. I did not like it to say the least 3/10.

I do love dystopia movies, but they must be stylish, intelligent and powerful. This movie is only stylish and not in great manner. It is slow, visually and thematically very depressing. This could be acceptable - think "1984" style visuals.

Unfortunately the plot is very stupid and bizarre. I mean - it has no sense, even remotely. There is a bit of pro-multi-culti propaganda, a bit of economical nonsense and a whole lot of total mind control nonsense. The movie never tries to explain anything, it actually only builds one layer of depression over another. It leads to nowhere, you will never know why the persons are doing what they are doing.

In the end it is way too boring to watch and its message is too unclear. You know, if you want to make good dystopia movie, you should something important to say - like in Blade Runner or Soylent Green. It is not enough to make story about "how big corporations are bad" and "everyone has boring job" and "everyone wears gray clothes" to make even acceptable movie.

This is an amazing movie!!! I think it's super overlooked and doesn't get enough credit; it saddens me to see so many low reviews! While I can understand how it might not be for everyone, as it does present an unconventional style of animation, if you're open-minded or already a fan of surrealist/otherwise unorthodox approaches to storytelling, I would highly recommend Metropia!!! The style of animation is just so uncanny that it will forever stand out to me; watching it the first time was highly impressionable to me as a storyteller myself, because it's just unlike anything you see in mainstream media! Furthermore, the soundtrack (composed by the *amazing* Krister Linder), is incredibly eerie and haunting, like all of his work. I'd say that the movie itself is the first half of what makes the watch experience so impressionable and awe-striking; the soundtrack is the second half! And while some people argue that the plot is rather conventional or bland - to be quite frank, I don't think that really matters. In fact, I'd argue that lends itself to the film's aesthetic even more, since it stylistically revolves around themes of the mundane, the systematic. All in all, I could go on about Metropia for pages and pages! It's just such a highly unique, incredible film. I would highly recommend watching it, perhaps in a laundry room or basement - find somewhere that matches the bleak and wishy-washy dystopian vibes! Approach it not in the way you'd approach a mainstream film or Hollywood blockbuster; view it as an antique, an archaeological artifact, a mysterious letter from an unknown person from long, long ago. Viewing it should be primarily an experience, and then, secondarily, entertainment - go with that approach, and I hope you'll have your mind blown. 👌