Metallica is undeniably one of the biggest bands in the world and while their music speaks for itself, a lot of their success in becoming a mainstream phenomenon can be directly linked to their visionary approach to music videos. Videos like One and Enter Sandman brought a dark narrative to the melodic metal music of the band and helped set them on the path to becoming a powerhouse.
Over the years they have continued to experiment with their approach to music and video. Whether it be delivering short horror films set to their music for videos like All Nightmare Long, giving an inside look at the struggles of keeping a band playing together in their documentary Some Kind of Monster. or playing their greatest hits alongside the San Francisco Symphony Orchestra, the band has always pushed themselves to try new things. Their latest experiment, Metallica: Through the Never, a hybrid narrative/concert film, might be their biggest yet.
Filmed for presentation on IMAX screens in 3D, Metallica: Through the Never, is certainly a spectacle. Set against the backdrop of a concert in Vancouver, the film immediately introduces us to Trip, a young roadie that works for the band. As the concert starts, he is sent on a mission to bring some gas to a broken-down tour truck that has something the band needs in it. Things obviously won’t go as easily as they should and Trip’s simple journey very quickly turns into a nightmare as a terrifying horseman reaks havoc on the city streets.
This narrative runs through the entirety of the film and is very well shot, making pretty good use of 3D. That said, it really is just a small part of the overall experience, as most of the film is footage of Metallica in concert, playing their songs on their very big stage, with all sorts of extravagant special effects. In short, Metallica: Through the Never is a concert film with a big-budget sideshow.
The concert footage translates well to the IMAX experience. The sound is dynamic and appropriately loud, while the IMAX screen allows the true scope of their stage show to be shown off. As I said before, it is a spectacle. And as a fan of Metallica, it is a really cool spectacle that packs the appropriate punch one would want from a concert film. In many ways, this is the next best thing to being at a real Metallica concert.
The narrative aspect of the film isn’t fleshed out enough to make it anything special and sometimes it even takes away from the concert experience by cutting some of the songs short to push the story forward. Such storytelling is never more intrusive than when a stage setting appears to break, “injuring” a couple stage crew members in the process. I couldn’t tell if it was part of the concert or the fictional narrative and it made for an awkward few moments of viewing. Thus, Metallica: Through the Never is something of a failure when it comes to attempting to create this hybrid fictional/concert experience. Still, as a concert film, it showcases Metallica at their biggest, loudest and most engaging. For fans of the band, and that is who this film is for, it should deliver exactly what they want. It did for me at least.
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