Almost everything in Megalopolis is nuts, none more so than these wild moments.
This post containsspoilers aplenty for Megalopolis.
SomehowMegalopolisexceeds those expectations, whatever they are.
It is a totally insane film, overstuffed with moments brilliant, misjudged, and absurd.
However, in a major twist, the orbiting spycraft is instead revealed to be heading toward New Rome!
adding urgency to Cesars mission.
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… And then, about halfway throughMegalopolis, people stop talking about the satellite.
The movie moves on to other ideas.
No real explanation is forthcoming, but thats a good lesson in how to watchMegalopolis.
Voight plays Hamilton Crassus III, Cesars uncle and the head of Crassus National Bank.
Cesars former mistress, Wow seduces Crassus in hopes of getting access to his fortune.
She even marries the old dope.
The elderly Crassus boasts about his passion for Wow allows him to achieve erection at will.
But on paper, they sure sound like something a dirty old man would write.
Somehow, Plaza manages to deliver that and other lines as the believable output of her character.
LaBeouf plays Cesars cousin Clodio.
Thus Clodio isnt just a schemer from a wealthy family; hes also a buffoonish populist.
He also dresses in an extravagant, gender-bending fashion.
Likewise, Clodios fermenting that angry mob feels part historical note and part current political fantasy.
Whatever the point, its always upsetting when Clodio is onscreen.
It also leans into camp and heavy allusion, a bit of literary goofing.
The playfulness is the thing.
Not only doesMegalopolistake place in a pseudo New York/Rome, but Coppola embraces unrealistic special effects.
Vesta is riding high not just for her rousing, inspirational ballads, but also for her much-vaunted virginity.
In fact, fans can pledge money to support Vestas vow to remain a virgin until marriage.
Taking a Vestal Virgins innocence was punishable by death.
Rather the only thing that matters is that she was legal.
In Coppolas film, the only scandal is to discredit an brilliant and powerful man.
He gets shot in the face in one scene, just to recover in the next.
As we come to learn, Cesar uses his wifes hair (and maybe the actual heart?)
to craft Megalon, the magical substance that allows him to control space and time.
However, the movie pretty much stops caring shortly afterward about his powers being used in any meaningful way.
Well, that is until the end.
That moment makes plain an implication running throughout the film, that Cesar is the way forward.
Cesars a cool dude.
He should control the future.
Megalopolis is now playing in theaters.
