Hate to break it to the “Megalopolis” haters, but this film is probably going to have a long shelf life; You be the judge if it’s for all the right reasons. Is it being mocked, or do people genuinely believe Francis Ford Coppola’s absurdist epic has artistic merit?
Vanity Fair is reporting that “Megalopolis” is a massive hit on TikTok. It turns out that the film has developed an intense cult following on the internet, where users have been sharing their bewildered reactions to Coppola’s epic and particularly referencing Adam Driver’s hilarious reading of the line, “Go back to the club.”
Does this genuinely mean people love the movie? Not entirely, but they don’t hate it either. This is essentially how cult films emerge.
Some moviegoers have logged repeat viewings on Letterboxd, amusingly compared the film’s visuals to a Linkin Park music video, or shared their thoughts on a Reddit thread about the film’s humor—which some think is unintentional, but others call deliberate.
That’s something I don’t believe enough journalists have tackled. Was the humor in “Megalopolis” deliberate? As far as I know, nobody has asked Coppola this question— I would bet some of it was and some of it wasn’t.
The New Yorker’s Michael Schulman recently attended a showing of “Megalopolis,” writing, “Saw the 6:50 Megalopolis at Union Square. The (not paltry) crowd was cackling at the screen like it was Mommie Dearest or Showgirls. Cheered for ‘go back to the cluuub’ like it’s ‘No wire hangers!’ Credits are rolling and no one wants to leave. Do we have a new camp classic?”
This has all lead to TikTok users wholeheartedly embracing “Megalopolis.” They are obsessed with it. Go on the social media app and you’ll see a TON of before-and-after reactions to the film.
“Megalopolis” stands to lose Coppola over $100M. Of course, commercial success does not equate to quality art, and vice versa. However, if critics have been generally split on “Megalopolis,” the average moviegoer doesn’t know what to make of it; The film’s exits have resulted in a D+ CinemaScore, 1/2 star and 45% positive on PostTrak, and a 5.4/10 on IMDb.
It’s not that far fetched to state that “Megalopolis” is unlike any film you’ve seen before. Every frame, every line of dialogue in the film is … a choice. It’s consistently filled with scenes where you’re not sure whether to take it seriously or laugh. Cult classic status is inevitable for the film.
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