After 10 long years, Metalocalypse is making its long-awaited return, but in movie form this time with Metalocalypse: Army of the Doomstar! I’ve dabbled in watching Metalocalypse in the past, but I am in no manner a die-hard fan, so this review is going to be based on the feelings of someone who isn’t totally familiar with or totally caught up on the show itself.
The Metalocalypse is Upon Us
The movie started out a little slowly and stayed at that pace a good majority of the time. There were some enjoyable parts, but overall I did feel like a full season would have been a better option to tell this story. It’s not to say that the entire thing was bad! There were just a lot of moments that felt thrown in to push the plot forward and to get Nathan to where he needed to be. It had the feeling that everything was just being driven by certain timing beats and plot points. The characters themselves didn’t really have enough time to shine and, with the exception of Nathan and Murderface, the rest of the band was along for the ride. Sure, they have funny moments and quips, but they were only there to play music and save the world.
There were some pretty funny scenes, but I think one of the best was the temple scene. As a kid that had to sit through sermons, their restlessness felt real and really made me giggle. Regardless of the fact I’m not a die-hard fan, it was an easy movie to follow. I’d say it’s an easy watch for people who might be in the same situation I am in, but it isn’t one that I’d ever go back to. I have a feeling that fans of the series will enjoy it and will be able to settle back into the Metalocalypse universe with ease.
This Is The Song of Salvation
Of course, this wouldn’t be a proper review without talking about the music. As usual, the music is SO GOOD. The soundtrack is definitely the best part of Army of the Doomstar. Dethklok coming up with the “Song of Salvation” was my favorite part of the whole movie. Without going into spoilers, there were some fun moments that happened during that section that made the entire movie worth watching.
The ending of the movie felt rushed and a little confusing. There were a few times that it felt extremely chaotic, but I can definitely tell that was by design. Brendon Small and Tommy Blacha definitely wanted fans to feel the chaos that is surrounding everyone in those moments. Looking back that actually makes a lot of sense and redeems it a bit for me.
As someone who isn’t extremely obsessed with the band or the show, it wasn’t a huge win for me. However, I would say that Metalocalypse fans will enjoy this movie, but if you’re not super invested I would caution you away from it. Great music wasn’t enough to push me to go watch the rest of the series again.
Horray for Blu-Ray!
The Blu-Ray comes with a behind-the-scenes featurette where fans hear more about what it was like to make this movie. It is available for purchase today and is also available for digital download!
Disclaimer: I did receive a review copy of Metalocalypse: Army Of the Doomstar.
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