Photo: Press
Metallica's new 3D 'concert meets apocalypse' movie, Through The Never, has received mixed reviews from critics.
The film centres around extraordinary live footage of a Metallica stadium gig, shot with 24 cameras. But that's not all - a young and eager roadie is given the task of driving a mysterious item to the band... before he meets a full-on zombie attack. Chaos ensues.
Metacritic gives the film an average rating of 63% from all reviews, with most critics agreeing that the metal icons' performance element and the general special effects are a highlight, while the side-plot of the zombie apocalypse drags it down.
Vulture.com summed up the general mood quite well, writing: "The story of our bewildered young roadie is really no story at all but a surreal series of incidents and images....The band’s the thing here, and the quicker it cuts back to them, the better off Through the Never is."
Loudwire agreed with a fairly divided review: "When you walk out of the theater, there is no doubt you’ll be experiencing a mix of emotions. One part of you will be on an unbelievable high from the concert footage...you’ve never experienced a Metallica show like this before...The other side of your post-movie emotions, however, will focus on the unusual narrative. While the scenes are expertly filmed and packed with violence and intense situations, the plot is barely present. There is too much left to be answered by the end of the movie that the band’s intention of creating a conversation may actually be impeded by the audience’s confusion and frustration."
The AV Club gave the movie a generally postitive 'B-' rating, but oncluded: "Perhaps the pulpy narrative material is meant to compensate for the mercenary professionalism of the performers, who tear through their career-spanning set list with the mechanical proficiency of a veteran-touring act...For these aging masters of puppets, what could be more therapeutic than resting triumphantly on laurels?"
Watch the trailer for Through The Never below
Through The Never hits US cinemas tomorrow (Friday 27 September), with a UK release expected to follow later this Autumn.
Meanwhile, the band released the soundtrack to the movie this week. The tracklisting is as follows:
Disc 1
'The Ecstasy Of Gold'
'Creeping Death'
'For Whom The Bell Tolls'
'Fuel'
'Ride The Lightning'
'One'
'The Memory Remains'
'Wherever I May Roam'
'Cyanide'
'…And Justice For All'
Disc 2
'Master Of Puppets'
'Battery'
'Nothing Else Matters'
'Enter Sandman'
'Hit The Lights'
'Orion'
Below: Metallica meet fans, drink beer at Through The Never launch
