Megalopolis is an enigma. You can't adequately explain it and it's hard to understand, but it sucks you into Francis Ford Coppola's rabbit hole. This film has faced its share of negative critiques and rightfully so. It starts out extremely slow, and the collage-like approach in the beginning is distracting. However, Francis Ford Coppola tries his best to weave together intricate themes of political power, corruption, progress, and collapse, blending historical and modern allegories. The juxtaposition of ancient Rome with the contemporary world is rather striking, albeit annoying and baffling as well. Though Megalopolis is complex, well-acted, visually stunning and wildly ambitious, it's also a batsh*t crazy film. But in the end, it’s a chaotic wannabe-masterpiece, that Francis Ford Coppola simply couldn't pull off. I understood where he wanted to go with Megalopolis, but he simply couldn't get there.

Just when I saw a glimmer of hope, it nose-dived and veered off in another direction without fully completing the prior storyline (there were a ton of dangling storylines without any resolution). It was the damnedest thing. I expected so much more from Francis Ford Coppola. I see why this film took decades to make and he had to use his own money. Even for a great auteur, sometimes an idea for a film, should remain just that...an idea. It's sad to think his stellar career could end with Megalopolis. I want his career to end on a high note, and here's hoping he has one more brilliant film in him.