My initial feeling going into this was that it was going to be like School of Rock. It didn't take long to see that this wasn't going to be the case. Despite it being a completely different movie, it still had all of the makings and opportunity to be just as good. Metal Lords could have and should have been an instant classic. It was not.
As with ALL Netflix productions, the budget is there. Therefore the production is top notch. The staffing is top notch. The cinematogrophy is top notch. The music, especially here, was top notch. The writing and pacing? Nowhere to be found. Does Netflix hire tik tokers to write this stuff, or edit it?
The three main actors were great for their rolls, but the script was inadequate. I don't blame them.
There were moments that were unearned like the drum kit acquisition, the romance between the two leads, the moment of cheating at the wedding party, the invitation and discovery of the cellist, the check in and escape of the recovery center. These all could have been better fleshed out, but they blew through this stuff to make room for a bully, a secondary romantic influence, a mental disorder, and an unrealistic timeline to be prepared for a live show.
There was no need for a bully dynamic in this movie, plus it never got resolved. There was no need for the false romantic interest since they had the actual romantic interest between the drummer and cellist.
And why, why, why do movies insist on unrealistic timelines? We're not looking for suspense in a rock movie. If they need six months or a year to get ready, let them have that. But not two weeks.
I'm not sure what the sideplot with the mental disorder was either. In a different movie, this might have worked. In this movie, it made a monster out of what should have been a great character.
The fast lovers dynamic was icky. These are teenagers, right? Is this how they talk and progress into a sexual relationship these days? God help us if this is accurate.
I like that the movie did not just try and immitate School of Rock. I like that it attempted to investigate some of these offshoots within the teenager dynamic. I think they played on too many negative aspects painting a bleak picture of what a teenager's life looks like. These were pretty awful teens with completely absent parents.
If this movie could have established a point and focused on that point, this could have been a spectacular movie. Unfortunately it dabbled in too many topics and themes and had no identity. The poor characters had no identity.
I give it a 6 out of 10 for trying and almost being something good.
Maybe one day, Netflix will simply sign the damn checks and stop interfering with artistic liberties. I've seen brand name directors attatched to Netflix Originsls. I know they work together. Let them work.
