Plot: What’s it about?
When an astronaut brings home a special gift from space for his daughter, he has no idea how much of a mistake he has made. The gift is a green orb, which seems harmless, but soon kills the man and corners his daughter. The orb is able to communicate and reveals itself as the Loc-Nar, the embodiment of all the evils in existence. The orb begins to tell stories of events it has influenced, using the horrific tales to frighten the girl. The first story involved a taxi driver in a futuristic New York, who is about to find himself in immense danger. He encounters a young woman on the run from some thugs, who want something her father uncovered. Her dad found the Loc-Nar and the hoods want it, to put it to use for their evil intentions. Next is a story about a common nerd who wishes for a better life and is soon transported to another world. In this realm, he is big, strong, and has a very large member, not to mention he’s surrounded by gorgeous women. But when a battle rages over the Loc-Nar, he might wish for his old life back. Even more stories of bloodshed, violence, and sexual perversions are told to the little girl, as the Loc-Nar continues to distress her. There is a sole hope for an end to the Loc-Nar’s evil, but its a longshot. A female swordslinger named Tarrna, the last of her kind, has to do battle and end the Loc-Nar’s reign of destruction. But can Tarrna avenge all the evils and lay the Loc-Nar to waste?
Based on the popular magazine of the same name, Heavy Metal is a wild movie that enjoyed consistent success since its release. A sequel, Heavy Metal 2000 proved to be mostly a failure, but the original has held up quite well. As an animated feature, Heavy Metal blends several styles and approaches, so not all the segments share the same visual design. This loosens the bond between the segments, but helps give each one a sense of self, which works out well enough. This picture appeals to those who enjoyed the magazine, which was filled with images of violence, fantasy, and of course, naked women. So expect those elements in liberal doses, as the filmmakers manage to keep this screen version in the same vein as its source of inspiration. The stories are by no means deep or complex, but instead passable and the visuals more than compensate. Above all else, Heavy Metal is a fun, visually charged fantasy picture, one which more than entertains its core audience. If you’re against fantasy subjects with large breasted naked women, then you might not dig this movie as much. So the movie is recommended, but which version is the best? As this version is hands down the superior in terms of presentation, but the original has some great supplements, I think fans will want to own both. If you’re a casual viewer however, you’ll want the best audio & video elements, so this Superbit release is the wisest choice.
Video: How does it look?
Heavy Metal is presented in 1.85:1 anamorphic widescreen. I had some doubts in this case, as the original release looked excellent, but this new version is even better. The minor issues that pestered the original version have been erased, so halos, edge enhancement, and such are never an issue here. In addition, the detail level is improved and subtle visual touches are on full showcase, even the smallest things seem crystal clear now. I found black levels to be more refined and colors have a bit more life, but the main factor is the tweaks that eliminated the existing defects. The enhanced subtle detail is most welcome, but by ousting the minor troubles from the previous disc, this presentation makes that one obsolete.
Audio: How does it sound?
I was pleased with the new Dolby Digital 5.1 option on the original release, as it was much more dynamic than expected. Some inherent flaws remained, mostly age related defects, but all things considered, the track was terrific. That same soundtrack is brought back here and of course, a new DTS option is also included. While the Dolby Digital track still sounds impressive, the DTS option proves to be a superior treatment. The bass kicks a little more, surround presence is crisper, and the mix just sounds more natural. In either case you’re getting a great soundtrack, but if you have the choice, go with the DTS track. This disc also includes subtitles in English, Spanish, Portuguese, and Thai, should you need those.
Supplements: What are the extras?
This disc includes no bonus materials.
