Metal Lords is full of surprises. You might think Metal Lords might be a School of Rock knock-off. But you would be wrong. Metal isn’t just music to high school student Hunter Sylvester (Adrian Greensmith). It’s an obsession. You have to live it and breathe it. Every day, all the time.
That kind of commitment is a little further than Hunter’s one and only friend, Kevin Schlieb (Jaeden Martell), is willing to go. But Kevin doesn’t have any other friends either, so he agrees to play drums, which he can’t really play, for Hunter’s band–Skullfucker–with no bass player.
Hunter and Kevin hope to find a bass player in time to compete the impending “Battle of the Bands”–which Hunter is convinced they can win–and thereby achieving schoolwide fame, victory over the bullies–and—most importantly—sex.
My favorite character is Emily Spector (Isis Hainsworth). Emily first appears in Metal Lords as a delicate-looking creature, screaming obscenities at the band director—who has offered some critical but not unkind advice about Emily’s role in the marching band—and then heaving her clarinet so it sticks like a javelin at about the 50 yard line. Clearly, she’s disturbed (later we learn Emily had stopped taking her meds before this incident).
Kevin uses one of the high school rehearsal rooms to work on his drumming, after hours. He hears music from another rehearsal room: a first-rate version of a Bach cello suite. Of course, it’s Emily.
But the story in Metal Lords doesn’t run as expected. Hunter hates the idea of a girl cellist in Skullfucker and rejects Emily. But, Kevin is drawn to the talented, troubled Emily. More problems ensue.
Metal Lords is a cut above most of the John Hughes teen comedies mostly because it offers surprise after surprise. You might think you know what’s going to happen…and then Metal Lords throws you a curveball. Check it out! GRADE: B+
Well, HAROLD AND KUMAR films tend to be a bit better than Hughes’s own films (and stories) were…the young musician who can’t tolerate deviation from his even an essentially irrelevant part of his Vision for a band–say it isn’t so!
Todd, HAROLD AND KUMAR films have a loyal following.
I liked SCHOOL OF ROCK but mostly for the Jack Black performance. Not sure this would draw me in.
Patti, I found METAL LORDS appealing and clever.
I respect your opinion, George , but I’ll keep this one on the back burner until I’ve read a few more reviews. “Producers of GAME OF THRONES and HAROLD AND KUMAR” are not exactly selling points for me. I’m also not remotely into metal although I’ve always been more than a little bemused that everyone I’ve every met, from high school on, who was into it was a surprisingly gentle soul.
Since you have Netflix I have to ask if you’ve seen APOLLO 10 1/2. I’m generally lukewarm on Linklater and don’t care for the rotoscope/CGI animation thing but the movie made me smile non-stop for a solid 90 minutes. The fantasy sequences could be dropped but otherwise it is far and away the best evocation of childhood in the sixties that I’ve ever seen. A whiff of a film but sweet and very fun.
Byron, thanks for the recommendation! I’m adding APOLLO 10 1/2 to my watch list.
Not interested in anything to do with Metal bands. but it sounds cute. Loved SCHOOL OF ROCK. The Broadway adaptation was surprisingly entertaining too.
Jeff, Diane, Carol, and Katie saw SCHOOL OF ROCK on Broadway. Then, a year later, Diane and I saw the touring company version when SCHOOL OF ROCK came to Buffalo. I picked Diane and Carol up at the Buffalo Airport yesterday. JetBlue canceled their flight on Sunday and they had to scramble to find a United flight that would bring them home to Buffalo. Patrick advised them to spend the night before the flight at the Marriott across from the Newark Airport. Diane and Carol woke up at 7 A.M. and took the Shuttle to the Newark Airport. Their flight left on-time–11:25–and landed in Buffalo at 12:30. I met them in the baggage area and I had them home in 20 minutes.
That’s what happened to us in New Orleans in December. We ended up having to get a hotel room in Metairie and leaving at noon the next day. (Our original flight was for 3 PM.) Very annoying. It really does not make you want to fly.
Jeff, actually Diane and Carol had TWO flights canceled: the JetBlue and then the United flight. But, Patrick has Elite Status with United so he was able to book them on another Monday flight at an ideal time. It was nerve-wracking for Diane and Carol. I’m glad I was home safe and sound.
No way in hell I’d watch this! Metal! Vapid teenagers! Not my style!
Bob, I’m guessing you were NOT a vapid teenager!