Movie review: 'Metallica: Through the Never' is the stuff of legend

For those who have followed my reviews over the past two years, as well as those who may be reading my words for the first time, please allow me the momentary lapse in professionalism when I say that “Metallica: Through the Never” is FREAKIN’ AWESOME! Oh sure, the narrative component is the sort of dystopian nonsense that would be better served as a music video than an actual feature film, but the live stage performance that does double duty as the soundtrack and framing device is the sort of thing metal dreams are made of.

Composed mostly of material shot over the course of two capacity-crowd shows in August of last year, “Metallica: Through the Never” is the concert film thrash metal fans had no idea they were waiting for and, now that it’s here, it is no exaggeration to say that being able to catch this flick on the biggest screen they can find, with the best possible sound, is like getting an early Christmas present.

Balancing intimate close-ups with bravado camera moves, the high definition cinematography by Gyula Pados (“Basic Instinct 2”) under the direction of Nimrod Antal (“Predators”) is a wonder to behold. While nothing will replace the experience of actually being there yourself, Antal is able to successfully convey onscreen the excitement and immediacy of a truly top-tier concert production from acknowledged masters of the form.

And what of the music? Metallica standards like “Ride the Lightning,” “One,” and “Master of Puppets” gain a new lease on life here, with renditions that—dare I say it—sound even better than the original recordings, powered by an intensity, enthusiasm, and spirit from the band that put groups half their age to shame. James Hetfield (lead vocals, rhythm guitar), Kirk Hammett (lead guitar), Robert Trujillo (bass) and Lars Ulrich (drums) are in their element here, and in fine form. As someone who first began listening to these songs in grade school, hearing tracks like “For Whom the Bell Tolls” and “Battery” presented anew is almost revelatory.

Nowhere to be found are the backstage shenanigans or confessional-style interviews that normally characterize this sort of film (those interested in behind-the-scenes drama should check out the band’s “Some Kind of Monster”). “Through the Never” is about the music, plain and simple, with a short film interspersed between numbers for good measure.

The story portions star Dane DeHaan (“Chronicle”) as Trip, a young roadie tasked with ensuring delivery of a package to the auditorium where Metallica is performing. In the midst of carrying out this task, Trip is met with a post-apocalyptic scenario, complete with overturned cars, bloodthirsty mobs and wordless harbingers of death whose preferred mode of transport is horseback (naturally). DeHaan does what he can with the role, playing Trip as a youth possessing an almost-suicidal level of devotion to his employers. The integration of songs such as “Fuel,” “Enter Sandman,” and even instrumental piece “The Ecstasy of Gold” during Trip’s journey are well-placed, but their opening cords usually herald a segue back to the concert, which makes rooting for him and his tale an exercise in narrative whiplash.

Of course, no one is going to see this film for the story, and the concert portions are where “Through the Never” shines. Indeed, music notwithstanding, the breakout star of the film is the stage itself that the band performs on, the scale and technical specifications of which boggle the mind. While this film was purportedly funded by the band for a budget greater than the production cost of all of Metallica’s albums combined, a significant chunk of the money must have gone to the stage.

Fans will delight at the production design’s deliberate throwbacks to key moments from the band’s discography, while newcomers will be in awe at the sheer audacity that must have gone into creating – in no particular order—an LED floor with retractable crosses, caskets lowered from the ceiling (complete with LED displays to show the victims inside!), explosions and lasers galore, a destructible Lady Justice statue and, my favorite, an oversized electric chair bordered by functioning Tesla coils! The boys may be getting on in years (seriously, when did Ulrich become a dead ringer for “Hot Tub Time Machine’s” Rob Corddry?!), but no one will ever accuse them of not knowing how to put on a show.

Speaking as a fan from way back, it’s not a stretch to say that Metallica’s music isn’t for everyone, and, while non-believers need not apply, for those of us who grew up on it, this, truly, is the stuff of legend.

“Metallica: Through the Never” is currently screening exclusively in SM Cinemas. — VC, GMA News


Mikhail Lecaros is a professional magazine editor and freelance writer. The views expressed in this article are solely his own.