Metropolis and Woman Who Seems to be Afraid of Flashlights

Film: Metropolis
Year: 1927
Where I saw it: Netflix

Unless you are a science fiction fan and want a strong dose of "you've come a long way baby" or you are interested in the history of special effects, I wouldn't recommend this one.  Being a silent film which clocks in at almost two and a half hours long, it can easily lose your interest.  Now don't get me wrong.  I liked it.  The effects by today's standards may seem hokey but must have blown the minds of people back in the day.  It's a neat blend of future society and medieval imagery.  But if you're not a fan of the genre, then you might want to let this one pass.

The main female lead does an amazing job.  She plays two parts.  One, a serine priestess trying to bring comfort to her people and the other being an evil robot clone.  (This is why I say you have to be a fan.  Me:  Evil robot clone?  LET'S DO THIS THING!!!  My wife:  Evil robot clone?  You're an idiot.)  She does seem to be afraid of flashlights though.  There's one scene where the bad guy is going to catch her.  He does this by shining what looks to be a flashlight on the floor and on the walls in order to scare her into his trap.  It's great.  The main male lead is awful.  If one of your goals in life is to over act everything you do then this guy would be a great role model.  For example, in one scene someone knocks at the door.  His reaction to this is equivalent to someone telling him that they just slowly ran over his dog and then stuffed it with candy and gave it to the parents of a small child because they needed a pinata.

One last point - The film takes place in the year 2026.  Get on it science!  I'm still waiting for my hoverboard!

Thanks for reading! - Scott Scene