Picks and Pans Review: Heavy Metal

UPDATED 09/21/1981 at 01:00 AM EDT Originally published 09/21/1981 at 01:00 AM EDT

This film comes as something of a surprise. It's not the earsplitting trip you might expect from the title or the lineup of sound track rockers like Black Sabbath, Devo and Cheap Trick. Producer Ivan (Stripes) Reitman has assembled an experienced team of animators, and the result is a cartoon Star Wars as handsome as any Ralph Bakshi film. Although irritatingly episodic, the screenplay artfully combines elements of mysticism, erotica, science fiction and comedy. The best episodes are at the beginning—a flip look at New York in the year 2031 and the story of a 98-pound weakling who is transformed into a Charles Atlas but remains a nerd at heart. After rescuing a wonderfully voluptuous naked woman on a faraway planet, all he can think to say is, "Do you live around here?" Technical wizardry dominates the later sketches, though, and even at only 90 minutes, the film's ragged edges fray rapidly. (R)

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