Review of Heavy Metal (1981) by Kenneth C — 20 Mar 2013

Oh boy, does this movie have a reputation. That reputation varies from person to person. Whether it's its slammin' animation, the plethora of female nudity, or the amazing metal heavy soundtrack, this film appeals to many different people (mostly men) who either love it for all it is or love it despite its obvious flaws.

The film was made in Canadian, is completely animated, and boasts the voices of famous Canadians including Harold Ramis, John Candy, and Eugene Levy. The film is made up of various segments and utilizes a diverse amount of animators.

The styles are different throughout, but they are all connected by a glowing green orb that travels the universe and makes trouble for humans, aliens, and inter-dimensional warriors alike. The orb itself has a voice, and is relating these stories about the universe via a conduit that looks like a young girl.

The stories are sometimes far too short to make any sense, and most of them revolve around the cult of man or space travel. There is also a very niche sense of humor, relating mostly to teenage boys who like to see robots mate with humans, or stoned alien pilots pull into a port.

That's just one short, but there are usually some stagnant bits to each one, or else it only appeals to the male sensibilities. Still, the film overall is pretty great, boasting some interesting animation, ideas, and characters that aren't utilized in animation all that much.

The last animated short, where the last warrior in an extinct race takes down the original orb, all while bedecked in skimpy armor and not saying a damned word, was actually empowering and awesome. That last short makes up for a lot, because it's long, paced correctly, and gives us a truly cool female hero, which just doesn't happen enough.