Metropolis

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Sci-Fi

Drama

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97%

138 Reviews

Tomatometer

92%

50,000+ Ratings

Audience Score

This influential German science-fiction film presents a highly stylized futuristic city where a beautiful and cultured utopia exists above a bleak underworld populated by mistreated workers. When the privileged youth Freder (Gustav Fröhlich) discovers the grim scene under the city, he becomes intent on helping the workers. He befriends the rebellious teacher Maria (Brigitte Helm), but this puts him at odds with his authoritative father, leading to greater conflict.

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Critics Consensus

A visually awe-inspiring science fiction classic from the silent era.

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Joe E

One of the most visually stunning movies ever made! The storyline and plot are average, but the characters and sets are fabulously memorable. Everyone should see this film at least once in their lives (just like the Grand Canyon, the Great Barrier Reef, the Eiffel Tower, and the other great wonders)!

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

03/25/24

Full Review

Estevan G

This is a groundbreaking silent science fiction film. Known for its innovative special effects and set design, it explores themes of industrialization, class struggle, and the impact of technology on society. The dystopian cityscape and iconic robot Maria have left an enduring legacy in cinema. While the narrative can be complex, the film's visual brilliance and social commentary make it a timeless classic.

Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars

02/05/24

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GÃ¡bor G

Fascinating and grandiose.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

04/23/24

Full Review

Lars N

Every frame could be a poster. It's gorgeous, grand in scale and theme. It's also long, however, and will test the patience of a modern audience. But that's not to say it's boring.

Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars

12/10/23

Full Review

Teddy B

A film that is so sheerly and ultimately stunning in every aspect of the production presented on the screen that miraculously brings its visual and storytelling elements into a collective, miraculous whole without ever missing a beat along the way.

Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars

12/09/23

Full Review

John E

Metropolis is a silent film that was released in Germany in 1927. It was directed by Fritz Lang. It is regarded by many film historians as one of the greatest and most influential films ever made… for good reason. This movie is magnificent. Despite being nearly a century old, it is still smart and dynamic. The special effects and the variety of innovative filming techniques are a marvel of ingenuity. This movie would influence other iconic films for years to come, including Mad Max, Star Wars, Batman (1989), and Parasite. When the film debuted, it was accompanied by an original orchestral score that was composed by Gottfried Huppertz. The Huppertz score was used only once… at the film's premiere. The original movie was sadly deemed to be too long (it ran 153 minutes), so it was edited down after the premiere. Various copies of the film were distributed with run times of 116 minutes (1927), 105 minutes (1927 U.S. edition), 91 minutes (1936), 83 minutes (1984), and several other lengths. These butchered versions of the movie all had numerous independent scores that were written for them. The original full-length version of the film was considered lost to the ages. That is until 2008 when a damaged copy of Lang's original full-length cut was discovered in an Argentinian museum. Using this film, a restored version of the original motion picture was created and released in 2010. It is 95% restored, with title cards filling in the few minutes of the movie that were too damaged to be used. To accompany the release of this restored masterpiece, the original Huppertz score was performed live and recorded by the Berlin Radio Symphony. The restored film and its original operatic score finally married, eighty-three years later, for all posterity. The story is about a future dystopian world where the privileged live above ground in a bustling and thriving metropolis, referred to as Babel. It is presided over by Joh Fredersen (Alfred Abel). Meanwhile, there is another sect of humanity that lives below ground, performing all the work required to keep Babel running. These people live lives totally devoted to jobs they don't want, devoid of any opportunity. Their glimmer of hope comes from the religious teachings of Maria (Brigitte Helm), a virgin Mary-type character who takes care of the children and reads of God's love for them. Soon, Joh's son Freder (Gustav Frohlich) is exposed to the bleak existence of the lower world, and he becomes enamored with Maria. Freder seeks to change the status quo, much to the dismay of his father. The plot is a rich and dense one that can be viewed through the many lenses of economics, politics, science, religion, philosophy, and other aspects of human existence. Most central to the core of the film is the notion of the head/brain (the paradise above) and the hands (the workers below) requiring a middle… a heart. Will the two differing sects be able to find that heart, the mediator, in order to coexist? Or will they destroy each other as the elites struggle to maintain a status quo, while the workers refuse to accept that status quo any longer? Added into the mix, is a robot, disguised as Maria, seeking to mislead the masses. An allegory for the misuse of science and machines. An allegory that is prescient still today as we grapple with the pros and cons of artificial intelligence… nearly one hundred years after Fritz Lang first introduced the world to his magnificent vision that is Metropolis. This is a masterpiece that should be a must-see for any true film lover.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

12/07/23

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Fritz Lang

Director

Brigitte Helm

Maria

Alfred Abel

Johhan (Joh) Fredersen

Gustav Fröhlich

Freder Fredersen

Rudolf Klein-Rogge

C.A. Rotwang

Fritz Rasp

Slim

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Make Way for Tomorrow

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The Racket

80%

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Applause

94%

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Wings

86%

57%

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Metropolis: Trailer 1

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Times (UK) Staff

Times (UK)

The film has, in consequence, a remarkable pictorial power, and, in spite of its occasional solemnities, is one which will well repay study by those who are interested in the development of a separate cinematographic technique.

Jul 8, 2020

Full Review

H.G. Wells

New York Times

It gives in one eddying concentration almost every possible foolishness, cliché, platitude, and muddlement about mechanical progress and progress in general, served up with a sauce of sentimentality that is all its own.

Mar 31, 2020

Full Review

SMH Staff

Sydney Morning Herald

Often enough it is exciting in a broad, elemental way, just as an earthquake or a loud clap of thunder would be exciting; but when individual characters come on to the screen they rouse little Interest for their own sakes.

Apr 2, 2019

Full Review

Sean Axmaker

Stream on Demand

Lang’s visionary visual creation remains impressive a century later, from the densely imagined cityscape to the massive sets that dwarf the actors and the swarms of extras, and its socio-political themes are just as soft-headed and simplistic.

Oct 5, 2023

Full Review

Brian Susbielles

InSession Film

With its memorable sets and special effects courtesy of Eugen Schüfftan, the film remains a landmark of global cinema nearly 100 years later.

Mar 6, 2023

Full Review

David Bromwich

The Nation

The movie is a period piece, with roots in dystopian novels like H.G. Wells's When the Sleeper Wakes and The Time Machine; yet the stark and garish black-and-white staging here engenders an emotion oddly stronger than words.

Oct 7, 2022

Full Review

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Synopsis

This influential German science-fiction film presents a highly stylized futuristic city where a beautiful and cultured utopia exists above a bleak underworld populated by mistreated workers. When the privileged youth Freder (Gustav Fröhlich) discovers the grim scene under the city, he becomes intent on helping the workers. He befriends the rebellious teacher Maria (Brigitte Helm), but this puts him at odds with his authoritative father, leading to greater conflict.

Director: Fritz Lang
Producer: Tawd Beckman
Screenwriter: Fritz Lang, Thea von Harbou, Thea von Harbou
Distributor: Paramount Pictures
Production Co: Paramount
Genre: Sci-Fi, Drama
Original Language: German
Release Date (Theaters): Mar 13, 1927, Original
Rerelease Date (Theaters): Oct 14, 2011
Release Date (Streaming): Dec 21, 2016
Box Office (Gross USA): $1.2M
Runtime: 2h 3m
Sound Mix: Dolby SR, Dolby Digital, Dolby A, Dolby Stereo
Aspect Ratio: Flat (1.85:1)

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