MetallicA: Through The Never IMAX 3D - Movie Review

MetallicA: Through The Never

IMAX 3D

 

   I've never seen a concert movie in a theatre before but I'm so glad I went out and saw this one.  The whole production was top notch, everything looked and more importantly, sounded great.  The sound was good enough to make you feel like you are at a MetallicA show, I was pleasantly surprised when the opening song started and I immediately felt like, "Yes, this is what I remember!"  The whole IMAX 3D thing was well done.  I don't usually pay the extra for the IMAX or even the 3D for most movies but I did for this one.  I would see it again in IMAX but probably not pay the extra for the 3D again.  I think the sound and scale of the IMAX screen help make this movie going experience better. 

 

     This is not just a straight forward concert film.  The main draw will be MetallicA and the music, as it should be, but there is a story line running through this film that uses the music as sort of a back drop.  Everyone probably knows the story by now so I'll make it short.  A roadie, or gofer, named Trip arrives at the arena the night of the show.  As he makes his was inside sees the members of the band arriving or getting ready.  The band members have just brief cameos here in the beginning, everything else we see of them is on stage.  Hetfield arrives in an old school hot rod that shoots flames out the exhaust as he glares at our "hero" from behind dark sunglasses.  Hammett is talking with a crew member and holding a broken guitar that appears to be bleeding.  Further backstage, Trujillo is seen rocking out on his bass with a room full of speakers that is shaking the room and the hallway.  He continues further into the arena and passes Lars, who is walking by and talking with other crew members.  Lars slows down and looks at Trip as if he knows him or is trying to recognize him.  Trip continues walking until he is standing in an isle of the arena.  Quick shots of the band as they make their way together back stage.  The arena is full now and the lights go down.  The band members take the stage and start playing.  Trip stands there and takes in the show just like the rest of the audience.  Standing, cheering and singing along with the crowd. 

 

     As the first song ends, another crew member grabs Trip and has a task for him.  Here is the start of Trips journey.  He is given an crucial task: A truck carrying an important item that the band needs has run out of gas somewhere in the city.  Trip needs to find the truck, retrieve the item and return it to the band.  The story scenes are all very well done.  They are woven into the concert at key moments of songs, not just started and stopped between them.  This helps in keeping the movie moving along at a quick pace as we don't see much banter between James and the crowd or setting up for the next song. 

 

     Trip hits the city looking for the truck and finds the streets are eerily deserted.    He is passed on the road by a crowd of people being chased by cops.  Things only get weirder for Trip.  He soon finds himself literally in the middle of a street fight between rioters and cops in full battle gear.  The scenes are cut together with the concert footage, like the riot cops beating their batons on their shields to the opening beats of Wherever I May Roam.  Here, Trip first encounters the mysterious horseman.  This masked man is riding around on horseback, throwing a noose around rioters and hanging them from street lights.  He soon sets his sights on Trip. 

 

     Meanwhile the band is going full throttle on stage.  The stage is massive.  The entire floor is covered in video screens which show lighting effects, video clips and cool effects like blood slowly covering the stage.  Stage props are brought in to pay homage to classic album covers and songs.  They built an electric chair and 4 Tesla Coils to create a lightning storm during Ride The Lightning, a huge statue of Doris (Lady Justice) that is assembled then demolished at the climax of the ...And Justice For All.  Several eliminated crosses arose from the stage during Master Of Puppets, along with some smoke produced some of the cooler images of the band playing.  There is almost a stage prop from every major tour making an appearance.  Coffin shaped lighting rigs are brought down during a few songs, used during the Death Magnetic tour, huge hydraulic arms with lights are used like from the Load tour. 

 

     The concert continues as Trip finally reaches the truck.  He opens the back and finds a bag.  He opens the bag and what he sees shocks him.  I would say he is speechless but Trip does not have any lines in this movie.  Aside from yelling "HEY" to the guy that almost killed him in the car crash, Trip does not speak.  He doesn't really need to.  The actor, Dane DeHaan, conveys every emotion with just his eyes and his actions.  Just as he grabs the bag he spots a man standing in the street, waving at him.  A moment later a crowd of rioters and the horseman arrive.  Trip makes a run for it.  They chase him through the streets and back alleys until he is trapped by a fence.  Here he dons his bandanna and hood as seen in the movie posters and fights back.  Let's just say there are flames involved.  Back at the arena, the band utilizes one of the great stage gags of their career, destroying part of the stage (as on the Load tour) during Enter Sandman, complete with "Guy Running While On Fire", while Trip has a final showdown with the horseman on a rooftop. 

 

     Trip finally makes his way back to the arena to find the concert finished.  The arena is all but empty, except for the band members onstage.  Trip takes a seat as the band starts playing one last song - Orion.  The song ends and Trip leaves the bag on stage.  The final scene is a slow camera zoom up to the bag.  The End.

 

     As a whole, this movie was great.  The story parts were cool but the concert was the best part.  They really took advantage of the IMAX screen and sound system, it was loud but a good loud.  It sounded like being at a concert.  The band really sounded strong.  Lars' drumming came through loud and clear.  James' voice was strong and clear.  MetallicA is known for putting on a killer live performance and this was just that, but kicked up a few notches.  The 3D was cool but not necessary to enjoy the movie.  I will admit, it was pretty awesome to see some of the close ups of the guys playing in 3D, especially the guitar parts.  I felt the song selection was good for what they were trying to show us.  There are a couple of songs that I really missed but I know the band wanted to make this movie more interesting and entertaining so the idea of a two and a half hour movie of just songs wasn't on their agenda.  I wonder if there will be a longer cut of the movie released when the DVD comes out.  Either way, I would be happy to own this one. 

 

     And by the way, the band made this movie on their own.  They paid for it all themselves.  I heard rumors of a budget of around 18$ Million.  MetallicA is not known for doing things half assed and this is no exception.  As a fan, I can really appreciate how they go about things, putting in hard work to put out a good product for us.  I hope this movie does good business for them.  If it doesn't, oh well, but I would like them to succeed. 

 

     Any thoughts as to what was in the bag?  I have a few.....

Rock Stars and Death

I cannot help but notice the outpouring of emotion regarding the death of Amy Winehouse.  Not only can I not help but notice, but you cannot get away from it.  I only have one emotion regarding this.  Anger.  It pisses me off.  No, her death doesn't make me mad.  Any time someone kills themselves with drugs, I just don't get it how everyone sees it as tragic. 

Do you want to know what a real tragedy is to me?  A bus accident.  Having a bus roll over multiple times and come to a stop on top of a band member.  A shooting.  A gunman jumping on stage and shooting a guitar player several times in the head.  It it one thing to have a life taken and another thing to give it away.  Which is more tragic? 

When a musician makes the choice, when they would rather kill themselves then create and play music, the end is inevitable.  As fans, we have to see it coming, sooner or later.  I'm not saying the music they created wasn't good or even great but we should be mourning the music more then anything.  Where is the line between a great musician and a great person?  They are not always the same and we should not try to sugar coat someones life just because they pass away. 

I loved the music that Layne Staley made with Alice In Chains.  They were one of my favorite bands growing up.  Layne had a huge drug problem.  It was around that time I started to notice that many musicians can create great works of art and at the same time, slowly kill them selves while doing it.  You could see the progression.  They started to tour less and less.  He was not seen in public very much.  When he passed, they say they found his body after he had been dead for 2 weeks.  Drug overdose.  I was more hurt knowing that he would not be around with the band to create that great music any more than him passing away.  I miss the music more than the man. 

Kurt Cobain.  I liked Nirvana but I was never a huge fan.  I like several songs and bought the albums but I didn't think Kurt was the voice of my generation as I was told repeatedly.  I thought the music Nirvana made was very creative and different and it should have continued a lot longer.  Sure, I think they would have got to the point where it wasn't fun and they could have broken up, but we will never know.  When I hear a song from them on the radio I sometimes think of what might have been.  When I see the things that Dave Grohl has done with The Foo Fighters in the years since, what would Nirvana sound like today if he was leading the band creatively?  I don't feel bad that Kurt killed himself, I feel bad the band never reached it full potential. 

Dimebag Darrell.  I still get a little emotional when I think about the night he was killed.  Pantera fell apart.  Darrell and his brother Vinny Paul vowed to continue on with Damage Plan.  They were not going to let a few bad attitudes ruin their creative drive.  They were out there playing the small clubs with their new band and doing it for the fans.  It all came crashing to a halt.  A gunman jumped up on the stage right as the band took to the stage for their first song.  He went right to Darrell.  The gunman ended up killing more people and wounding several others before he was shot dead by a police officer.  Darrell had such a big heart and so much more music left in him.  He was always making time to talk with fans and sign an autograph if they asked.  He genuinely enjoyed life and wanted to celebrate it with everyone around him.  It hurt, and it still does.  I feel bad that his life was taken.  I miss the music AND the man.  That doesn't happen in the world of music very often. 

Cliff Burton.  He took the music of Metallica to new heights and helped shape the growing Thrash Metal movement of the early Eighties.  All I have ever heard about Cliff is that he was a genuine guy, he walked it like he talked it.  The Metallica that we know today would not exist if it was not for the early influence of Cliff.  The bus accident, after seeing the pictures, its hard to believe no one else was killed.  His influence is still felt by the band today.  You can see a glaring difference in the music that was made before and then after his death.  I was too young at the time of his death so I grew to love his music a few years later.  Reading the old interviews, watching the performance footage and listening to the music he created.  I grew to miss him.  Sure the music was great, but I feel even if he wasn't with the band anymore, just having him around and playing music would be a good feeling, knowing that someone out there was doing what they wanted and how they wanted to do it.  Cliff was taken from us.  It was not his choice.  I feel bad for his family and the rest of the band, they lost a brother that night.  I would love to have new music from Cliff and at the same time I would want him to have more time with his family and friends. 

So when I see all the Facebook posts and Tweets about Amy Winehouse, I don't feel anything.  Was her music that good?  Did all those people really love her music?  I heard a few songs, they did nothing for me.  Her life was cut short because she wanted it to be.  Unless they reveal that, in fact, she was murdered, we all had to see this coming.  I get a little pissed off when people make such a big deal over people like her, the ones that can't handle life, the ones that take the easy way out.  The ones that need chemicals constantly in their system, just to get through the day.  Why do we not see the same reaction to the lives that are taken?  Some enjoy and celebrate life and when those people are TAKEN from us, its a quick blurb on the evening news then its never mentioned again.  Some willingly GIVE their life away and we have to hear about it for weeks. 

I will continue to support the music and legacy of those musicians that gave their all and were TAKEN from us.  Those that GAVE their lives away, I may listen to a few songs here and there, but not having them around, no big deal.  I can't feel any pity for them.  The love and respect given to those TAKEN from us will more then make up for that small void. 

And before anyone says anything, no, I do not know why Ozzy and Keith Richards are still alive. 

MikeTheTripp