'Metal Lords' Review: DB Weiss' coming-of-age story is thoughtful and entertaining
DB Weiss is known for co-creating one of the best shows of this generation in the form of ‘Game of Thrones’. So, when Netflix announced that the celebrated screenwriter will be penning a coming-of-age musical revolving around the heavy metal genre, everyone was really excited. Titled ‘Metal Lords’, the movie revolves around a band of misfits trying to show their true potential by entering the Battle of the Bands competition and dreaming that they can win it.
Kevin (Jaeden Martell) has been playing in a marching band for two years now, but his best friend, Hunter Sylvester (Adrian Greensmith) believes that he is destined to be a legend. He is in dire need of a drummer for his band ‘Skullfucker’, which is described as a “post-death doom metal” outfit. They both know that this is the only way they can show the entire school that they are much more than just regular nerds and devote themselves to metal. Hunter knows that he is a great guitarist and vocalist. On the other hand, Kevin is not that confident about his skills, but he has something special in him. The duo enters the Battle of the Bands event and is now looking for a bass player so that they can become a proper band.
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That’s when we are introduced to Emily, a cello player who is damn good with her instrument. Although Kevin wants her to be a part of the band, Hunter believes that there’s “no” place for “Yokos” in this group. All the music enthusiasts will definitely get that reference. What happens next is a series of events that shows different sides of life from the perspective of young boys and girls.
The best thing about ‘Metal Lords’ is that it’s really straightforward in its narrative and even though the movie has few surprises, it certainly won me over. Weiss has done a phenomenal job in creating a script that is clever and engaging. Apart from talking about music, the film also talks about the struggles that these characters go through. Issues like mental health, bullying, first love, and bad parenting are highlighted throughout the movie, which brings the movie closer to the world we live in. But most importantly, it shows how heavy metal can be so important in bringing confidence among a band of misfits who feel that they don’t have it.
It’s not like the Netflix movie goes out of the way to show something new. It is filled with scenes that people have seen in previous movies. Party sequences, bullies shown as the villains, and parents trying to ruin things that their children love to do, these things have been a part of Hollywood for ages now. And yet, ‘Metal Lords’ is successful in getting your attention with its narration and perfect tone. Everyone, including you and me, has gone through a phase where we have doubted ourselves. We doubt if we are good enough to do this or good enough for that guy or girl, and this is something that the movie understands perfectly. A scene, where Emily tells Kevin that she is not pretty enough for him, takes you back to the time when we were so self-conscious about ourselves.
As far as acting is concerned, Jaeden Martell has done a phenomenal job in playing Kevin. The actor showed the character’s insecurities with precision and takes your heart away by showing his acting skills. On the other hand, Adrian Greensmith is the soul of the movie and offers a credible passion for Hunter’s music of choice. He steals the show with his passionate performance.
Talking about great performance, Isis Hainsworth, the young British actress, is completely flawless. Her character, Emily, is introduced in a crazy scene where she is shown swearing at her marching band coach. But soon we learn that her real passion is playing the cello. Also, she is going through a lot in her personal life and taking medications. Hainsworth does an incredible job in showing the pain of those who bottle up too much in them and just burst when they feel that it’s too much to take. She is brilliant in the movie.
Weiss’s writing shows that showing characters as metalheads were always secondary for him. The primary focus was to show these misfits as people first and he does that incredibly well.
Meanwhile, Analesa Fisher as Kendall and Noah Urrea as Clay also give amazing performances.
All in all, ‘Metal Lords’ feels like a ‘Rock of Ages’ for the modern generation and make us realize that music has the power to heal people and also make them feel powerful. Be it heavy metal or hip-hop, music has the distinction of making people feel good about themselves or helping in cope with whatever they are going through.
‘Metal Lords’ is an entertaining coming-of-age story that goes beyond music.
‘Metal Lords’ will be streaming exclusively on Netflix on Friday, April 8.
