Through The Never

This was actually written during the summer and forgot all out it. So finally....
As usual, I never get excited or much care about anything Metallica does these days. Like lots of people, I cherish those first 4 albums and early EPs. They never get old for me. That is an opinion that’s old news. When Through the Never was first released I wasn’t going crazy beating people down to watch it. A few years earlier I watched the DVD of the band’s film Some Kind of Monster. The movie kept my interest for sure but in the same sense it sickened me with all the childish bickering and drama. So last year when I heard about a new Metallica film it just flew passed my grasp of consideration.

The other day it was brought to my attention that Netflix was currently streaming it. A few friends told me it was complete garbage. Not one to listen to others, I had to find out for myself. Hell it was a push of a button away, so why not.

As the film started, my expectations were already low. Refreshingly, it was not just a typical concert film. The band performance is intertwined with the outlandish side story of a roadie. It very much reminds me of classic rock films like The Clash’s Rude Boy or Led Zepplin’s The Song Remains the Same.

The live footage is great, with the band cranking out great songs mostly from their classic albums. Keeping with the throwback feel, James Hetfield wears a denim vest adorned with a huge collage of patches: Discharge, GBH, Saxon, etc. All members do their best in keeping the performance interesting and animated. Of course Lars Ulrich is going wild making his “I have an egg plant ripping my anal cavity in half” pain face. With a big selling band, the stage is loaded with big budget light effects and props.

The roadie story is pretty outlandish about the adventures he has running an errand outside the venue. He sees fire in the streets, has a brutal car wreck, gets entangled in a futuristic riot, sets himself on fire, fights mobs of people…I could go on. The riot reminds me quite a bit of the similar scene from the old Charlton Heston flick Soylent Green. A motive for all the violence is never given, but then again who cares. This is an art film, plain and simple. The sequences are not original at all, but entertaining none the less.

Originally the film was released in IMAX theaters. Now after watching it in my living room, I truly wish that I saw it on the big screen. The images were gargantuan and explosive on my TV. I can only imagine how the theater experience would have been.

These days it almost trendy to hate Metallica, but I am passed that. I don’t much like any of their modern albums. However, I am glad I gave this film a chance. I can honestly say it was an enjoyable experience.