Review of Metallica: Through the Never (2013) by Dan H — 07 Oct 2013

An odd experience. Definitely best seen in IMAX 3D, but unlikely to appeal to anyone except fans of the band. The set list is a good cross-section of their greater and lesser known songs from over the years, played to perfection except for one seemingly unplanned moment when a microphone fails on James Hetfield mid-song.

Many fan favourites are notable by their absence, but this isn't a full gig, being only 90 minutes; presumably on DVD/Bluray there will be the full gig version. The oddest thing, however, is the utterly pointless bolted-on storyline involving the roadie on a mission.

It has its entertaining moments in a music video kind of way: the surreal pre-gig opening with Kirk Hammett examining a bleeding guitar, James Hetfield in a mean hotrod, Robert Trujillo warming up his bass in a den of giant amps being the highlight.

But the ending just...ended. Everyone in the cinema just kind of went "Err...what?" Dumb. So this is a curious beast; more a bizarre music video than concert film. Given the IMAX 3D format, it would have been better to just stick with the concert angle which does look great in the format (you feel you can reach out and touch them on stage), lose the stupid plot which does nothing to promote the band, and throw in more songs.