Megalopolis

What’s it about?

In the rundown city of New Rome, architect Cesar Catilina is given permission to rebuild the city using Megalon, a special material that lets him control space and time. Standing in his way is Mayor Franklyn Cicero, who refuses to let go of power. Caught in the middle is Julia, Franklyn's daughter and Cesar's love, who is trying to break free from her family's influence and find her own path.

The facts

• Directed, written and produced by Francis Ford Coppola (The Godfather, Apocalypse Now)
• Stars Adam Driver, Nathalie Joanne Emmanuel, Aubrey Plaza, Shia LaBeouf, Giancarlo Esposito
• English language
• Runtime: 138 minutes

Why did it get this rating?

This film was classified by Te Mana Whakaatu, Classification Office. You can find out more about the classification process and ratings here.

Violence

A character is shot in the head by a child. You don’t see it happen but you hear the gunfire and see blood spray afterwards. This happens unexpectedly, which makes it pretty shocking, however the character turns out to be fine after their injury heals.

Two characters are shot with arrows – one in the chest and the other in the buttocks. This is quite graphic, especially the shot to the chest, as you see the arrow enter the body and the bloodspray afterwards. However, there is a cartoonish element to this scene, which lessens the effect.

Other scenes of violence include a character being punched in the face, after which his nose and mouth bleed, and riots which show brutality but not in a detailed way.

Offensive language

Offensive language includes “f*ck”, “f*cking”, “b*tch”, “sh*t”, and “bulls*t”.

The use of offensive language is mainly used to intensify moments, however the word “f*ck” is said multiple times during a sex scene.

Drug use

There are a few brief scenes of drug use. In one, you see a quick shot of a character snorting something off another character’s chest in a nightclub. In another, a character snorts something off their fist during a frenzied moment. Someone is asked if they want a joint.

Sex scenes

There are a few sex scenes and references throughout the film. One moment that is long and intense shows a woman pressing her bare crotch into a man's face. Both are otherwise fully clothed. As she straddles him, they talk explicitly about having sex, and when she pulls away, the man's pants are down, revealing his pubic hair.

A man is briefly accused of committing statutory rape against a 16-year-old woman. However, you soon find out that he is innocent as it was a hoax, and that the woman is 23 years old.

In one scene you see a woman grinding on a man, fully clothed. There’s also some sexual references to erections and incest.

Suicide references

There’s a few scenes which implicitly reference suicide. A flashback shows a woman deliberately driving into the water, leading to her death. At the beginning of the film, a character sways near the edge of a tall building. It’s unclear what his intentions are, and certain elements make the scene unrealistic, however it could still be confronting for some viewers.

Youth Advisory Panel comments

One member of our Youth Advisory Panel attended the screening with office staff and said the moments that impacted them most included the character being shot in the head, as it was so unexpected, and the characters being shot with arrows.

The YAP member said they didn’t find the references to suicide overly impactful. They said the drug use in the film is somewhat normalised and could potentially be harmful for younger viewers.

Helplines

We all have lines and it's okay to reach out if something you have watched isn't sitting right. Get in touch with any of the following helplines for support.

• 1737
• Safe to talk
• Lifeline
• Youthline

Further information

• Why are ratings and content warnings important for me and my whānau?