The reviews are in for Francis Ford Coppola’s new film, “Megalopolis,” and many viewers are still trying to unpack what is being called one of the most divisive films of 2024.
Set in a futuristic version of America, the film follows inventor and architect Cesar (Adam Driver) as he tries to build a better community for the city of New Rome.
The movie opened in theaters on Friday, Sept. 27 to less than stellar reviews, with “Megalopolis” receiving a 49% rating from critics and a 41% audience rating on Rotten Tomatoes.
According to Variety, the film cost over a $100 million to produce and was a “self-funded passion project” by Coppola. But, as reported by the outlet, the film is only on track to bring in between $5 to $7 million in its box office debut.
“#Megalopolis is a BIG example of an overthought with no direction,” one social media user said on X. “Ngl there’s some rough stuff: the Shakespearean over the top text, the non stop monologues and the godawful cgi makes it tough, yet there are some truthful beautiful scenes that show what Coppola wants to express.”
Another said, “Megalopolis: Pure ‘let’s get you to bed, grandpa’ cinema. It’s easy to say that this doesn’t work at all, but imagine seeing something you’ve never seen before and knowing you’ll never see something like it again. Shockingly straightforward and an unforgettable, riveting mess.”
A third shared a gif of Gizelle Annette Bryant from “The Real Housewives of Potomac” telling her co-star Karen Huger that she understands something that she is saying, when in fact, she doesn’t at all.
“Just saw Megalopolis,” they captioned the gif.
Others addressed the film’s divisiveness, with some finding Coppola’s creative take to be imaginative and ahead of its time.
“megalopolis will be reviewed terribly, but in 10-20 from now we will see it as revolutionary and ahead of its time. might just be the most divisive film ever,” one user pointed out on X. “something so bold and gigantic i don’t even know where to begin tbh.
“I really appreciated Megalopolis but it’s waaaay divisive of a movie,” another person wrote on X. “My brother said “What the f— was that?!” when the credits started last night lol.”
One viewer revealed they “could barely sleep” after watching film.
“Could barely sleep last night because my mind was up racing and thinking all about Megalopolis,” the person wrote on X. “Never had an experience like that before. LOVE how divisive it is too. The sign of a true all-timer. It’s in a close race with Rebel Moon and Horizon as my favorite film of the year.”
Aside from mixed reactions, which ranged from viewers thinking the film was “unintentionally hilarious” to the “strangest movie” they’ve ever seen, there were fans that specifically applauded Plaza’s acting in the movie.
In the film, she plays Wow Platinum, a power-hungry journalist who is unashamed of sleeping her way to the top.
“I will follow her into battle. Wow Platinum. wow,” one person said on X.
“Worth the price of admission alone!” another added.
A third wrote, “Her effortless charm, wit, and edgy style make her the perfect icon for something as bold as this.”
Fans also had a strong reaction to the scene where Cesar tells Julia (Nathalie Emmanuel) to “go back to the club” after she visits him at his condo.
“Megalopolis has really formal and proper dialogue at times and then all of a sudden there are line deliveries like this and it’s kinda awesome,” an X user said.
