Metal Lords is Netflix’s new teen comedy movie that follows the story of two teenagers who love metal music. They form a band in hopes of winning the upcoming Battle of the Bands competition.
Story
Kevin and Hunter, the two misfits of society, love metal music. They have a band named ‘SkullFucker’ and believe that they will make a name in the genre. They are often ignored and bullied by their peers.
They learn about Battle of the Bands, a music competition and decide to participate in it. Hunter believes that this is their chance to change their lives and make a lasting impact on everyone with their music.
But they soon realize that they need a bassist to complete their band. They begin their search but can’t find the perfect fit. While practising in school, Kevin stumbles across Emily, a girl who is diagnosed with social anxiety and anger issues. She plays the cello.
After talking with her, Kevin thinks that she is the perfect person to complete their band. Hunter disagrees with this and doesn’t allow her to be part of their band.
The audience witness Kevin and Emily gradually getting closer before getting into a relationship. This created a barrier in Kevin and Hunter’s relationship. Kevin and Hunter get in a fight and Kevin leaves the band.
With Battle of the Bands coming close, the trio have to deal with their issues and finally come together to perform on the day of the competition.
Performances
Jaeden Martel, who plays Kevin, the angsty, socially awkward teenager, is the perfect fit for the role. He shows the anxiety his character is feeling exceptionally well. Even during practice montages, the audience can see him getting lost in the metal beats.
Hunter, a domineering, conflicted character, had an interesting but predictable character arc. Adrian Greensmith, who plays this character, was an interesting choice. Despite this being his first on-screen role, Greensmith wins the heart with his admirable acting.
Emily was a fascinating character. It was refreshing to see her mental illness not get romanticized in the movie, which is a frequent occurrence in Hollywood. Isis Hainsworth is a fabulous actor. She carries a charm with her that enraptures the audience. She perfectly herself moulded into her character.
Positives
The movie was quite visually pleasing. The colour schemes used to depict the emotions the characters were feeling were an interesting concept. This was accompanied by good acting and satisfactory dialogue.
It was refreshing to watch the mental illness and flaws of the characters not being romanticized. The negative emotions were portrayed as just a part of the characters and not as a plotline.
The film’s music track was perfectly chosen and set a vibe for the story. Even the people who don’t like the metal genre can enjoy the tracks.
Despite the predictability, the chase scenes and the quick cuts kept the audience on their toes.
Negatives
The storyline, despite being enjoyable, was quite predictable and had many cliches, high school troops.
Joe Manganiello, as an actor, was underutilized. His character Troy Nix served the only purpose of steering the plot in a specific direction. It would have been interesting to learn more about him.
Verdict
Metal Lords is a fascinating watch that breaks many stereotypes that most high school movies carry. It can be viewed as a feel-good film.
Rating: 3.5/5
Also Read: Metal Lords summary and ending explained