Megalopolis 4K Blu-ray Movie

Rating summary

Movie		4.5
Video		4.5
Audio		4.5
Extras		3.0
Overall		4.5

Megalopolis 4K Blu-ray Movie Review

Megalopolis is an ambitious masterclass from writer-director-producer Francis Ford Coppola. Starring Adam Driver, Giancarlo Esposito, Nathalie Emmanuel, Aubrey Plaza, Shia LaBeouf, Jon Voight, Laurence Fishburne, Talia Shire, Jason Schwartzman, Kathryn Hunter, Grace VanderWaal, Chloe Fineman, James Remar, D.B. Sweeney, Isabelle Kusman, Bailey Coppola, Madeleine Gardella, Balthazar Getty, Romy Mars, Haley Sims, and Dustin Hoffman. Megalopolis is a must-see for Coppola fans.

The story of New Rome and its extravagant cast of characters. Cesar Catilina (Adam Driver) wants a Utopian future whereas Mayor Cicero (Giancarlo Esposito) wants things to stay the same. Julia Cicero (Nathalie Emmanuel) finds herself tested between her connection to her father, the Mayor, and Cesar, whom she is in love with. Who will end up leading the way in New Rome?

The supporting cast of characters in the ensemble of Megalopolis includes Wow Platinum (Aubrey Plaza), Clodio Pulcher (Shia LaBeouf), Hamilton Crassus III (Jon Voight), Fundi Romaine (Laurence Fishburne), Constance Crassus Catilina (Talia Shire), Jason Zanderz (Jason Schwartzman), Teresa Cicero (Kathryn Hunter), Vesta Sweetwater (Grace VanderWaal), Clodia Pulcher (Chloe Fineman), Charles Cothope (James Remar), Commissioner Stanley Hart (D.B. Sweeney), Claudine Pulcher (Isabelle Kusman), Huey Wilkes (Bailey Coppola), Claudette Pulcher (Madeleine Gardella), Aram Kazanjian (Balthazar Getty), Girl Reporter (Romy Mars), Sunny Hope Catilina (Haley Sims), and Nush 'The Fixer' Berman (Dustin Hoffman).

The performances are exceptional and the lead actors do terrific work with their respective roles. Adam Driver delivers one of his best performances as Cesar Catilina. Giancarlo Esposito plays well against Driver in his role as the mayor. Nathalie Emmanuel also impresses in spades.

The supporting cast has a lot of fun, too. The entire ensemble has a great time with their roles. Aubrey Plaza is outstanding as Wow Platinum. Shia LaBeouf is noteworthy as Clodio Pulcher. A great cast of actors assembled for roles big and small.

The score composed by Osvaldo Golijov (Youth Without Youth, Twixt) is terrific and one of the highlights of the film. The music plays a big role in the production. The score is top-notch and certainly elevates the filmmaking.

The cinematography by Mihai Malaimare Jr. (The Master, Jojo Rabbit) is exquisite. Megalopolis is a beautiful looking film. The cinematography is exquisite across the board and there are so many impressive visuals throughout the film. A testament to the quality of the cinematography.

Edited by Cam McLauchlin (Nightmare Alley), Glen Scantlebury (Dracula), and Robert Schafer (Twixt), Megalopolis flows well. The pace and rhythm of the storytelling works in spades. There is never a dull moment. The editing team did fantastic work with the film.

The production designs by Beth Mickle (Drive, Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3) and Bradley Rubin (Sequoia, Our Flag Means Death) are exceptional and breathtaking. The designs are often quite impressive and manage to add so much wonder to the filmmaking. Beautiful.

The art direction by Samantha Avila (Spider-Man: No Way Home), Brittany Hites (Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3), David Scott (Superman), Domenic Silvestri (Black Panther), and Freddy Waff (The Killer) is impressive and certainly showcases efforts from some of the best in the entire industry. The art direction works well in spades. A top-notch effort all around.

The costume designs by Milena Canonero (The Grand Budapest Hotel, Marie Antoinette) are engaging and beautiful. The designs certainly add a lot of whimsy to the production. The entire cast – both the leading actors and supporting cast of characters – are well adorned. Fantastic costuming from one of the best in the industry.

Written and directed by Francis Ford Coppola (The Godfather, Apocalypse Now), Megalopolis is one of the best works of art from the master storyteller. Megalopolis is an incredible artistic achievement and something that is as bold and visionary as it is creative. The filmmaking is remarkably entertaining and ambitious. The story of Megalopolis is one that clearly meant the world to Coppola. Megalopolis is an underrated gem of the auteur filmmaker and a must-see for fans of ambitious world-building cinema.

Megalopolis 4K Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

Released on 4K UHD, Megalopolis is presented in 2160p HEVC / H.265 in a native 4K presentation that preserves the original theatrical aspect ratio. The 4K presentation is stunning throughout the film. An exceptional encode and the colors pop with visual depth and clarity. The crystal clear visuals are the perfect showcase for the cinematography. Interestingly, the French 4K UHD boasts a higher video bit-rate at 75mbps compared to the other international editions from the United Kingdom and elsewhere.

Megalopolis 4K Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

The release is presented in English DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1. The lossless surround sound presentation is exquisite. Dialogue is clear and easy to understand. The score is well reproduced throughout the feature presentation. The soundstage is engaging and exhilarating.

Please Note: The French 4K has forced subtitles. The U.K. 4K edition does not have forced subtitles.

Megalopolis 4K Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

The limited edition is packaged in a deluxe steelbook. The high-gloss steelbook design is an exquisite work of art, too. Beautiful.

On disc:

Introduction by Francis Ford Coppola (HD, 00:51)

From Francis Ford Coppola (HD, 16:36)

Megalopolis – Utopia is a Conversation (HD, 22:06)

Megalopolis – That's a Wrap (HD, 5:47)

Megalopolis 4K Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

Megalopolis is an incredible work of art. The filmmaking is ambitious and riveting from beginning to end. The performances are spectacular. The scope and scale of the film is enormous.

The 4K UHD release is impressive with superb 4K video, lossless audio, and a nice assortment of bonus features. The steelbook packaging is also beautiful. Highly recommended.