Metropolis (1927) - 4 stars out of 10

Metropolis (1927) - 4 stars out of 10

Before you read this review, I should give the disclaimer that silent films are not my thing.  I know that it is highly respected in film circles and my low rating is merely a reflection of my trouble getting into silent films.  And it is just so long for a silent film.  Most silent films are 70 minutes long and feel like two hours.  This film is 150 minutes long and feels like it goes on for days.  The dystopian atmosphere is very cool as the world is inhabited by an entitled high class and a manure-shoveling lower class.  I was impressed with the elaborate sets and special effects incorporated into the film - Fritz Lang had great vision considering that this was made in the 20's.  However, that glamour was the main draw as the story does not accomplish much for a 2+ hour runtime.  The real highlight for me were the gorgeous musical themes created by Gottfried Huppertz.  I would gladly put this film on in the background late at night and fall asleep to this gorgeous Wagnerian music.  I'll credit Brigitte Helm for convincingly playing two personas.  Her dancing sped up into fast motion made her into a really creepy robot, not to mention the strange winking facial expressions.  I actually wish that I could see the shorter version of this film before they rediscovered the lost footage.  150 minutes is just way too much time to invest into a silent film with a simplistic plot.