Heavy Metal 2000 (2000)

Movie Info

That will teach you to stand in front of the TV

A mythical key that induces madness is found by a construction worker named Tyler (voiced by Michael Ironside). The key transforms Tyler into an insane indestructible monster bent on unleashing the key’s full potential. When Tyler commandeers a ship and forces it goes to the planet of F.A.K.K.², he kills the family and friends of a woman named Julie (voiced by Julie Strain) and secretly takes her sister Kerrie hostage. Now Julie is out for revenge, and Tyler is out for the power.  Can Julie stop him before he unlocks the secret of immortality and power?

Even a maniac can be surprised sometimes…

Directed by Michael Coldewey and Michel Lemire, Heavy Metal 2000 (called Heavy Metal: F.A.K.K.² outside of the U.S.) is a follow-up film to the cult 1981 hit Heavy Metal. The movie adapts the 1995 graphic novel The Melting Pot by Kevin Eastman, Simon Bisley, and Eric Talbot. Opposed to the original Heavy Metal, Heavy Metal 2000 is a single story and features the vocal talents of Michael Ironside, Penthouse model Julie Strain, and Billy Idol.

After Heavy Metal, Heavy Metal 2000 is quite a different take on similar themes. Heavy Metal was very experimental both in style and substance. This movie smartly realized that much of what made Heavy Metal different had been done to death. Pushing the barrier wasn’t going to be possible in Heavy Metal 2000 so this movie decided to take aspects of the original film and tell a solid story.

I thought we had something?!?

I kind of miss the anthology aspect of Heavy Metal, but I also felt Heavy Metal failed in a lot of spots. Here you get the sex and violence and it is more developed and logical…but also very generic. The story in the movie is like any sci-fi and fantasy story you’d read in a comic book with more sex, swearing, and nudity thrown in.  I felt it kind of felt like a more adult version of the space adventure animated film Titan A.E.  I can’t say I hate the story, but if the story had been just a bit stronger (and had more direction at the beginning of the film) this would have been a lot better.

…and now we’ve entered Transformers: Beastwars

The original film employed a lot of rotoscoping and this movie seemed to mix aspects of anime and something almost like an Aeon Flux…the characters are tall and carry a presence (but also very curvy).  There are a few computer animated aspects to the film including the very out of place transformed Odin (voiced by Billy Idol) near the end of the film.

Heavy Metal 2000 is a nice throwback to sci-fi fantasy adventures for adults. In a day where PG-13 seems to be the goal for most movies, it is nice to have an unapologetic graphic film. The story maybe so-so, but if you want to check out a non-Disney, non-kid-friendly film, you should find Heavy Metal 2000 and enjoy the sex and violence.  There has been talk of another Heavy Metal film being released at a future date.

[easyazon-block align=”center” asin=”B00004WG2D” locale=”us”]

Related Links:

Heavy Metal (1981)