|
While
all the blood and guts has been included for the obvious reason – it’s
hilarious – there’s actually a series-long story arc to justify it
all. Metalocalypse is all
about Dethklok, a heavy metal band that has risen to become the biggest
entertainment act in the world. Its five members clearly don’t deserve
their billionaire status and lavish lifestyle. Rather, a dark prophecy
is being fulfilled, and their ascendency to cultural supremacy is a
sign of the end of the world: the Metalocalypse.
To ease the
viewer in, each episode opens with a meeting of the Illuminati. These
sinister world leaders describe the band in the most ominous terms, as
though their every move could bring dire consequences to the entire
world. The scene then abruptly switches to what Dethklok are actually
up to, and it’s usually the height of idiocy. Lounging around in their
castle mansion, as they indulge in inane conversation and wallow in
nakedly vainglorious celebrity pursuits.
Their hobbies include smashing Swiss watches with hammers and beating clowns.
Everything
they try is doomed to utter, hilarious failure. On a visit to Finland,
they use a spell from an ancient grimoire as lyrics, and inadvertently
summon a 100-metre tall troll. At first they don’t care that it’s
destroying the country around them, and they apathetically retire to
their gargantuan limo’s hot tub to drink. But when they realise that
the monster could cut off their supply of fancy mobile phones, the band
grudgingly decides to thwart it.
If you’re not a huge fan of
heavy metal music, you may well suspect you’re missing out on
something. And you’d be right – the show is riddled with in-jokes, many
on an almost subliminal level, that are aimed squarely at the hard-core
metal-heads. The gore is confronting, but the animation is limited,
with digital composition putting a glossy finish on mostly static poses.
It’s
also a show that really throws you in at the deep end. After a few
episodes you’ll come to know and understand the personalities of the
band members and how they fit together into a dysfunctional unit. But
it takes some getting used to – the Swedish guitarist in particular,
Skwisgaar Skwigelf, speaks in a mangled dialect, with only his
dismissive remarks about everything being ‘dildos’ making any kind of
sense.
Yes, Metalocalypse
is a rough diamond, but a cultural sensation all the same – not many
fictitious rock bands are considered worthy of a hidden track in Guitar
Hero. The satire makes it funny on the first pass, and the tragic
characterisations help subsequent re-viewing. Metalocalypse is very funny, and very metal.
EXTRAS
Extras include Murderface Bass Solo, Skwisgarr Guitar Instructional
Video, interviews with the band, an extended tour of Dethklok’s
mansion, the ‘Mordhaus’, ‘Murder Reel’ compiling the bloodiest moments
from the season, and some trailers for other Madman productions. Nice
foil-embossed packaging too! Conclusion:
Movie 80% Extras: 75%
|
