Metalocalypse: Army of the Doomstar review

METALOCALYPSE: ARMY OF THE DOOMSTAR: 

A BRUTAL, EPIC, AND ABOVE ALL “METAL” CONCLUSION TO POPULAR ADULT SWIM SERIES! 

By Nico Beland

Movie Review: **** out of 4

ADULT SWIM/CARTOON NETWORK

William Murderface, Pickles the Drummer, Nathan Explosion, Toki Wartooth, and Skwisgaar Skwigelf in Metalocalypse: Army of the Doomstar

 

            Death metal band, Dethklok steps up from being famous entertainers and becomes world-saving heroes in Metalocalypse: Army of the Doomstar, the third of Cartoon Network’s Adult Swim’s line of direct-to-video films after 2022’s Aqua Teen Forever: Plantasm and last month’s The Venture Bros. Radiant is the Blood of the Baboon Heart and epilogue to the popular animated series, Metalocalypse. Despite not watching it quite as much as Aqua Teen Hunger Force or Robot Chicken, I really enjoyed Metalocalypse especially during late-middle-early-high school when I started watching Adult Swim shows on a frequent basis. 

            I binged the first season numerous times and caught random episodes of later seasons on Adult Swim whenever it happened to be on. Though despite owning all the seasons on DVD for many years, I had never seen the entire show so like when the Venture Bros. movie was coming out, I watched all four seasons and the Doomstar Requiem rock opera special for the very first time and I’m glad I did that because the later seasons and especially The Doomstar Requiemare amazing. 

            There was a lot of hype for this movie when it was announced that three Adult Swim films were in the works as Metalocalypse was unfortunately canceled in 2013 and wasn’t able to get a proper ending. And with this epilogue movie made and released, series creators Brendon Small (Home Movies) and Tommy Blacha (Mongo Wrestling Alliance, Super Giant Robot Brothers) can finally give their beloved Dethklok the sendoff they deserve…and damn, did they deliver? 

            Not only is Metalocalypse: Army of the Doomstar a freaking epic conclusion to a great series, but this might be hands down the best Adult Swim movie so far. It’s beautifully animated, outrageously brutal, funny, and also has a very interesting and captivating story. 

            The film is set after the events of The Doomstar Requiem and follows Dethklok consisting of Skwisgaar Skwigelf taller than a tree, Toki Wartooth not a bumblebee, William Murderface, Murderface, Murderface, Pickles the Drummer, doodly do, ding-dong, doodly, doodly do, and Nathan Explosion (All voiced by Small and Blacha reprising their roles from the series) being tasked with fulfilling the Church of the Black Klok’s prophecy of them becoming the chosen ones and save the planet from the demonic entity known as Salacia (voiced by Mark Hamill-Star Warsfranchise, DC Animated Universe, Regular Show) and his weapon known as the Doomstar which is getting closer to the planet by the second. In order to destroy Salacia and the Doomstar, frontman Nathan Explosion must write and Dethklok must perform a mystical song known as the Song of Salvation, but due to Nathan’s personal issues and psychological trauma he’s going through, he can’t quite figure out how to write it. 

            It becomes a race against time to finish the song, find the fabled Army of the Doomstar that will aid Dethklok in their battle against Salacia, and perform the Song of Salvation before the planet is destroyed in one glorious final showdown. 

            The film also features the voices of Small reprising his roles as Dethklok’s former manager and current Church of the Black Klok leader Charles Offdensen, record producer Dick Knubbler, and wheelchair-bound and tech-savvy Dethklok fan Edgar Jomfru, Blacha reprising his role as Dr. Rockzo the Rock n Roll Clown (Who in fact, does cocaine!), Malcolm McDowell (A Clockwork Orange, Doomsday, Bombshell) reprising his role as Vater Orlaag, Raya Yarbrough as Nathan’s (sort-of) love-interest Abigail Remeltindrinc, Victor Brandt (Superman: The Animated Series, Todd McFarlane’s Spawn, Avatar: The Last Airbender) reprising his role as General Crozier, Jon Hamm (Mad Men, Baby Driver, Top Gun: Maverick) as Emcee, Laraine Newman (Saturday Night Live, As Told By Ginger, Danny Phantom) reprising her role as Nathan’s mother Rose Explosion, and Juliet Mills (Avanti!, Nanny and the Professor, Passions) as the Whale Prophet and features appearances from Thundercat, King Diamond, Evanescence’s Amy Lee, and Scott Ian. 

            Overall, Metalocalypse: Army of the Doomstar is a brutal, epic, and above all “Metal” conclusion to the Adult Swim series that’s well worth the wait. Just about everything in the film is significantly amped up starting with its breathtaking animation that’s honestly the best Metalocalypse has ever looked. 

            Despite it being a direct-to-video film, you get a sense of the size and scope through its animation. There is a lot more detail in the backgrounds and character designs here as well as lighting and shadow effects that really make it feel cinematic and larger compared to the show. 

            The amplified animation is especially showcased during the scenes with Dethklok performing and action sequences which look so incredible I am legitimately angry this wasn’t released theatrically. The action is brutal and very exciting with an Avengers: Endgame-style final battle featuring various characters from the show and a lot of outrageously over-the-top kills including one eerily similar to Akira (If you’ve seen the movie, you might know which one I’m talking about). 

            While gorgeous animation and thrilling action are nice, it’s actually the story and characters where Army of the Doomstar is at its strongest with a very humanized Nathan Explosion desperately trying to write the Song of Salvationbut is facing constant roadblocks in the process. It’s probably the most I’ve ever cared about Nathan in the entire series, and I love the revelation he has over the course of the film. 

            Murderface also goes through an interesting arc in the film as he’s not especially proud of the fact that people consider him a joke compared to the other band members and goes through his own journey of self-worth. This leads to a hilarious but also touching pep talk between him and the other Dethklok members about how they need him to suck and that he’s the voice of descent. 

            Granted, Skwisgaar, Toki, and Pickles don’t really have any character arcs, they are given moments to shine throughout the film. Dethklok is as lovably childish as ever, but you do see growth in them as the film goes on. 

            Despite its epic scale, the film doesn’t forget that it’s a comedy and the humor is quite juvenile but extremely funny. Most of it consists of banter between the Dethklok members and the characters they interact with, and I laughed quite a bit at the dialogue. 

            With beautiful animation, strong character moments, thrilling action, a phenomenal musical score and head-banging metal songs, and plenty of laughs, Metalocalypse: Army of the Doomstar is an epic swan song for Dethklok that fans of the series will love. It’s also a worthy pick for the best Adult Swim movie so far.