Includes SPOILERS for Megalopolis.
Francis Ford Coppola’s dystopian epic,Megalopolis, sees its main character, Cesar, utilizing powers over time and space. At the head of theall-starMegalopoliscastisAdam Driver, who plays Cesar Catalina, an inventor and architect who hopes to construct “Megalopolis” using advanced new technology, incorporating elements of science fiction into Coppola’s movie. He’s met with resistance from Mayor Franklyn Cicero (Giancarlo Esposito), who leads a smear campaign against him to turn the public against his ingenious new ideas. Thus, the conflict ofMegalopolisensues.
Francis Coppola’s legendary filmographyincludes some of the greatest and most influential movies of all time, includingThe GodfatherandApocalypse Now.Reviews for Megalopolisare undoubtedly divisive, and it speaks to Coppola’s desire to incorporate new and unusual elements in his film, experimenting with techniques that may be off-putting to those used in modern movies. There’s some meta-commentary in what Cesar is trying to do in Megalopolis, ashe’s utilizing concepts beyond what the public of New Rome is familiar with, resulting in outrage from those who seek to maintain the status quo.
Cesar Has The Power To Control Time & Space In Megalopolis
Time & Space Are Among Cesar’s Powers, Allowing Him To Build Megalopolis
Cesar is able to control time and space inMegalopolisdue to his creation of the Megalon. This was revealed in early teasers for the film and is prevalent throughoutMegalopolis, in which Cesar’s powers are a major device. They’re the means for Cesar’s creation of Megalopolis and essentially serve as the physical representation of his creativity and ingenuity, importantlyfilling a place in the film as both literal and allegorical. To understandMegalopis, both aspects of Cesar’s powers are vital to know.
Physically, Cesar is able to use his powers to do more than just control time and space, though this is the most prominent virtue. He’s notablythe only character inMegalopoliscapable of harnessing this power, which is never explained. He later loses that power partway through the film but later regains it through loving Julia. In theMegalopolisending, their baby is shown to be immune to the manipulation of his powers. Aside from Julia and their baby having some different effects, everyone else in the film is similarly susceptible and incapable of using it.
It seems to say something about Cesar’s character that there’s a source of power that only he is genius enough to wield. As the protagonist ofMegalopolis, Cesar fancies himself a leader of society and considers his viewpoint and ideas to be for the betterment of the population, not considering how his ego may play into this. His emotions are heavily tied to his powers, which isn’t explained concretely. However, the film does provide some minimal exposition of the event that allowed him access to it and the name of the power source.
Cesar’s Powers In Megalopolis Come From Megalon
Megalon Is The Mysterious Source Of Power With Unknown Properties
Prior to the events of the film, Cesar had a wife who died in a tragic car crash, importantly named “Sunny Hope Catilina.” Somehow,his emotional fallout from his wife’s death allowed Cesar to harness amysterious substance called Megalon, which is the source of his power. This is shown by a scene where Cesar uses Megalon to create a shrine of Sunny Hope lying in a bed, allowing him to visit and kiss her. Given the film’s dystopian sci-fi nature, Megalon is undoubtedly meant to represent some fantastical power, but it’s also importantly spiritual and subconscious.
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Cesar uses Megalon as his tool to create Megalopolis, a utopian city with beautiful orb-shaped vehicles and lit-up pathways, essentially from nothing. The Megalon power allows Cesar’s subconscious feelings and ideas to take shape around him. Cesar is the keeper of Megalon and its powers. This puts significant pressure on him, and the film importantly analyzes how he deals with the uses of such power.
Every Ability Cesar Has Thanks To Megalon
Cesar Can Heal His Own Wounds, Build Structures, & More
The powers granted by Megalon are vague and mysterious by design and are essentially a manifestation of Cesar’s will. It’s an obscure idea that leaves much to interpretation, but there are some tangible powers possessed by Cesar. Beyond just the ability to control time and space, Megalon allows Cesar certain other abilities that become vital throughout the film. Importantly, Cesar is shot in the latter of the film with a wound that should have been fatal. But rather than perishing,Megalon heals Cesar’s face, restoring him from the gunshot.
Beyond that, Megalon seems to cause hallucinations, causing Cesar to constantly see things that aren’t really there. He uses the powers to construct Megalopolis, contorting the material into buildings, roads, walkways, and more. Cesar also uses Megalon’s powers to turn things invisible during the movie. Trying to define its powers through some system or form of logic is virtually pointless, asCoppola specifically designed these abilities so they do not fall under any specific parameters. What’s more important is the allegory they serve for the film, and, presumably, Cesar barely scratches the surface of its capabilities.
The Meaning Of Cesar’s Powers In Megalopolis
Megalon’s Power Is An Allegory For Cesar’s Hope
Megalon is more important than just a device inMegalopolis.Cesar’s powers are representative of several concepts, depending on how the audience wishes to view the film. It’spossible that Megalon’s narrative purpose is to demonstrate the will of creative power, withMegalopolisexamining how such a force collides with societal power, such as the structure of government, media, etc. The power of creativity isn’t restricted by anything, and Coppola examines how such immense power would look when wielded by a pioneer such as Cesar, whose good intentions are weakened by ego.
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Megalon and Cesar’s powers are also importantly connected to Cesar’s emotions, which adds to their potential for greatness and danger. The idea of such power tied to one person’s emotion is genuinely terrifying, andthe film demonstrates how it ebbs and flows, coinciding with Cesar’s hope for Megalopolis, adding another critical aspect to the allegory. It’s not until Julia’s hope joins together with Cesar that his abilities become more powerful than ever, demonstrating the power of joint belief in the future.
In addition, this allegory can be applied to Cesar and Julia’s baby. Because that baby was also born from Cesar’s hope, the film’s conclusion shows that the baby is resistant to the Megalon powers. Megalopolis represents a future world, while Cesar and Julia’s baby represents the future of humankind. This is crucial to whereMegalopolisends up, with hope overcoming turmoil.
Megalopolis
Megalopolis, directed by Francis Ford Coppola, is a visionary 2024 film exploring the ambitious dream of reconstructing New York City into a utopia, following a devastating disaster. The narrative delves into the clash between the architect’s utopian vision and the political and personal turmoil that ensues. With a star-studded cast, the film examines themes of ambition, power, and the human spirit’s resilience against the backdrop of a futuristic metropolis.
