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Germany · 1927
2h 33m
Director Fritz Lang
Starring Gustav Fröhlich, Brigitte Helm, Alfred Abel, Rudolf Klein-Rogge
Genre Drama, Science Fiction
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In a futuristic dystopian city defined by class divisions between city planners and workers, the city master's son falls for a prophetic leader of workers as the two work to unite the city. This innovative, visually striking silent film was one of the first science-fiction features and remains a classic of the genre.
What ultimately saves the film from both silliness and ponderousness is not its simplistic social message, not its now-stale theme, nor its disappointing characterizations, but rather the dazzling cinematic (and theatrical) bag of tricks which Lang and company employed to keep things moving.
The New York Times by Dana Stevens
Metropolis retains its power to overwhelm, trouble and move because it is connected to the deep anxieties of modern life as if by a high-voltage cable.
Christian Science Monitor by David Sterritt
Metropolis has a place in world history as well as in the annals of fantasy. Adolf Hitler was said to have loved it, and Lang eventually fled Germany for Hollywood when the Third Reich wanted him to run its movie industry. Few movies of any era offer so much varied food for thought, cinematically and politically. Its new restoration is a major motion-picture event.
Chicago Tribune by Michael Wilmington
Trashy and glorious, the restored Metropolis is a pop epic for the ages.
San Francisco Chronicle by Mick LaSalle
Seeing it is a time-bending experience, a way of visiting the past and glimpsing the past's idea of the future. A masterpiece of art direction, the movie has influenced our vision of the future ever since, with its imposing white monoliths and starched facades.
New York Magazine (Vulture) by Peter Rainer
You've seen the rest; now see the best.
Chicago Sun-Times by Roger Ebert
Does what many great films do, creating a time, place and characters so striking that they become part of our arsenal of images for imagining the world.
After half a century, does the story hold up? Eh, pretty much. In the end, the story doesn't really matter that much as this is really a vehicle for the amazing visuals.
Philadelphia Inquirer by Steven Rea
An awesome cinema spectacle.
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Very impressive production and effects considering this film is close to 100 years old. The characters are rather archetypical and the motifs familiar at this point in time, but the themes of class struggle and industrialization still resonate today.