Sorry, this movie sucks

Simply A Masterpiece

The thing I enjoyed most about the film is the fact that it doesn't shy away from being a super-sized-cliche;

what a terribly boring film. I'm sorry but this is absolutely not deserving of best picture and will be forgotten quickly. Entertaining and engaging cinema? No. Nothing performances with flat faces and mistaking silence for subtlety.

It was all clear, after the roots and influences of metal were told in "Metal - A Headbanger's Journey" the next chapter was about to begin: What happens to Metal if it goes global?I guess "ambitious" is the best word to describe the second metal documentary of Sam Dunn and Scott McFadyen - it will probably never win an Oscar - but even more hearts of metal fans. I am really thankful for the fact that the two didn't get carried away too much with certain topics. It is very interesting - especially from an anthropological point of view - to see how foreign cultures react to something almost completely western. Metal doesn't incorporate as many commercial aspects as other global trends, it transports different messages which are more genuinely reflected by the fans worldwide. I think the statement of the film is Bruce Dickinsons, who claims that kids all around the world reach a state in their development where they just want to get up, scream and go wild. It think this is the base for this film - it is normal that young people have a lot of compressed energy and anger to let loose. The times of the easter rabbit, santa clause and gnomes is over. They realize that reality is cold and tough - Metal offers them a valve to let release these feelings. It's nothing bad, in fact it should be considered a treatment. Let them go wild. But in many cultures this behavior is not welcome and mostly not understood. This film tries to explore how kids (and adults) try to be understood and not be linked to extremist thoughts or low lives.At some points it is explained very well, at some others it unintentionally mixes politics with culture. Although Metal definitely has certain political aspects the messages are interpreted in a very different way around the globe and unfortunately this documentary doesn't fully capture these impacts. The comments of some artists, especially Tom Araya from Slayer are rather dull and prove that some musicians have no idea of the real consequences their fans face in different parts of the world. Is this good or bad? The film leaves these decisions to the viewer...I for myself really enjoyed this journey and though it has ups and downs it draws a very impressive momentum of a genre that has mostly chosen to go its own way.

In 2005, Sam Dunn's documentary 'Metal: A Headbangers Journey' explored one of the most misunderstood and maligned music genres.His follow-up 'Global Metal' (inspired by the range of worldwide fan mail for M:AHJ) sees Dunn travel to Asia, South America and the Middle East to discover the impact of Metal in non-western society.The most striking thing is how Metal is used to express emotions forbidden by either the country's culture (such as the polite, ultra-organised and workaholic ways of Asia) or the oppressive regimes of the Middle East (a planned trip to Iran had to be diverted to UAE when Dunn wasn't allowed into the country). The doco climaxes with an epic Iron Maiden concert in India, which drew 30,000 fans. The atmosphere is astounding.Throughout his journey, Dunn interviews Metal legends such as Max Cavalera, Tom Araya, Kerry King, Bruce Dickinson and Marty Friedman as well as everyday fans. While Dunn is a proud Metalhead, he never lets his passion get in the way of his job and lets the interviewers and the music (there's a number of clips from domestic Metal bands in each region) tell the story.If nothing else, 'Global Metal' proves that if Metal can exist in oppressive environments then it is truly one of the most diverse and all-encompassing genres.

Global metal is the second Sam Dunn Heavy Metal documentary. The first, 'Heavy Metal: A Headbanger's Journey' is, so far as I know, the standard documentary covering the Heavy Metal scene. It does an excellent job of both detailing the history of Heavy Metal, and explaining its appeal, but it is focused on explaining Heavy Metal to those who do not know much about it, and because of this, might conceivably have less appeal to hardcore metalheads.'Global Metal" by contrast, is probably better calculated to bring new information to the attention of experienced Metal fans, but is not a condensation of extensive knowledge about the global metal scene, and it shows. This is not a bad documentary, but as exploration on Dunn's part, and constituting a light survey, it is not quite so informative as the first.I would further note that this is not a comprehensive documentary on metal throughout the world, but is more a "metal is spreading to exotic places" sort of documentary. This fact is not a criticism, but knowing this is likely to be important to at least some of the people looking up the film on IMDb.A truly comprehensive film covering the history of metal would necessarily be of epic length, considering that this documentary does not cover the US or European Metal scenes in any significant fashion and yet at 93 minutes, the film does not seem to be especially dilute.

A distinct improvement over "A Headbanger's Journey", which was merely an introduction for the uninitiated. GM is the perfect film to show to those spoiled, whiny, left-wing metal fans in the West how much they take for granted i.e. how good they have it in their "evil, corrupt democracies". (Like all egotistical, self-absorbed, pasty-faced princesses, Leftists think that the world owes them perfection...) Perhaps useless-yet-political bands like System Of A Down and Green Day could write some songs about the political situation in countries like Iran, Indonesia, or India for a change, instead of bitching like little girls about how supposedly hard it is to live under the "fascist" George Bush. Uninformed, arrogant, populist little PC-ists...That metal musicians all over the world, and not just in the States, are quite dumb - and I mean DUMB (pity I can't type this word any larger) - is proved in form of Indonesia's Tenakorak: an anti-Western, anti-Semitic group. Here's a bunch of losers whose own government oppresses them in their right to listen to their music, and yet they find the energy, the time, and the interest to take up beef with the very distant and oh-so evil America. I quote the self-contradicting singer: "Zionism must be destroyed... It's not the Jewish people we're against... we want Israel eliminated from the map." Meanwhile, this funny-looking metalhead wears a crossed-out swastika on the sleeve of his clownish heavy metal leather jacket. This guy should work as a clown in McDonalds.Japan, although over-saturated with metal tours for decades now, still has a vivacious, fanatical scene, and a fascinating one, too. I think Dunn should make an entire documentary just about the Nipponese scene. There's a hilarious, cute moment when two Japanese girls show the devil-sign and then run away from the cameras giggling. Priceless. Priceless also was getting the latest update on the whereabouts of Marty Friedman. This guy has quite clearly lost his mind. Not because he decided to live in Japan (I would, too, given half a chance), but because he is genuinely excited over the local glam crap such as X-Japan. He even describes their make-up as "beautiful". Could it be that he's in love with the members of the band?... "They play a Barry Manilow-like ballad, and then go straight to an epic metal song! How do they do this??" It's called "being cheesy", Marty...As for Brazil, Sepultura's Max has a few things to say: "We shouldn't have to copy the States. We should have our own identity." Yes, Max, how very nice of you to realize this AFTER THE FACT. Sepultura made their world-wide breakthrough by ripping off Slayer, Testament, Exodus and just about every other major thrash band on their earlier albums, but then, almost a decade later does Max suddenly decide to create a "new, more Brazilian" image/sound for his band. What, sticking a couple of Amazon Indians into a video while playing low-key nu-metal riffs? Is that supposed to make you sound Brazilian? Ironically, their best phase was when they were ripping off American bands... Anyone who has heard true tribal Brazilian music will know how laughably deluded Max and co. must have been to promote "Roots" as some kind of an Indian tribute album.Speaking of Indians, one of the highlights of GM was watching 30,000 Indian fans experience their first major metal concert. Sure, one can do much better than watch those old fogies Iron Maiden, but it's a start. The story behind the evolution of China's underground metal scene and its subsequent struggles provided further highlights.Also very interesting was the Israeli segment, particularly their stance towards Slayer's "Angel Of Death" song. Tom Araya, almost as if wanting to be funny, appears in GM looking like Saddam Hussein of the bunker days. As for the song itself, Slayer have gone on record many times saying that they "neither put down nor glorify" Mengele in AOD. In other words, Slayer are morons. I've always said that it's best to ignore the mostly cretinous metal lyrics and just enjoy the music.I have to applaud Dunn for having the cheek to ask Lars Ulrich the internet question. The greedy dwarf didn't seem too convincing in giving his support for Third World countries downloading Metallica's music for free. This guy would take the last dime out of the pocket of a desperate Iranian metal fan. Watch his face closely as he answers the question. He is: a) angry that Dunn posed it, b) still riled over the beating he took from the media over the Napster fiasco, and c) quite clearly still holds a grudge toward anyone who dares rob Metallica of an extra few bucks.Speaking of "rob", I'd much rather have seen Rob Trujillo in GM than Lars - who simply has to appear in every single metal documentary, as if he were some kind of metal world's answer to Ron Jeremy. "Hi, I've got a few things to say – yet again! Please pay attention to me!" I thought Dunn's "we're all one global tribe" line was a bit hokey.My music-related rants and ravings: http://rateyourmusic.com/~Fedor8. Read 'em and weep, ya whiny little gits...