I wish this was less of a film review, and more of an actual experience I had at Tribeca where the entire band Metallica somehow saved my life. Not through the power of music, but maybe lifting a car off of me? sadly, Metallica and i have never met, which I’m sure for them is no loss. I don’t listen to their music, and I don’t think about Metallica that much on a regular basis. So, does a documentary about Metallica and their fans work on me? Sure.

it is a pretty simple documentary that explores both the fans of the band as well as the formation and rise to fame of Metallica. You don’t get to be as big as Metallica without fans, and this explores how it was a grassroots campaign to get the music out worldwide. Putting their rock onto cassette tapes and mailing them to fans, that’s how it started, and why they have such long term fans worldwide. Before the internet or a major label deal, Metallica figured out how to tap into fandom.

On the other end, those fans talk about how the music has touched them, or how Metallica has literally shown up for them in their need, or even hired their fans to help with various jobs on their road crew. it is very much a payment in kind, where fans offer their support, and in turn Metallica shows up. What we do seem to leap over is the betrayal they likely felt during the era of Napster when fans were pirating their music.

And that bleeds into really my only qualm with this film, is what i have with so many features about living artists or historical figures. The ones where creative control lies on a clear side of the artist, without a desire for neutrality, often feel like they pull their punches. this isn’t the first documentary on Metallica, and it won’t be the last. I do believe that years from now, perhaps in a biopic, we will tackle Metallica for better or worse, but this isn’t trying to do that at all. It is literally about the fans, and for the fans. that’s perfectly fine. I even learned some things I didn’t know, so I felt fulfilled, even if not challenged.

This feels like an easy sell to the fans, so it’s likely to find distribution sooner rather than later. I’m sure the only fans who won’t appreciate this are the ones whose interviews were left on the cutting room floor. Metallica may have saved their lives, but perhaps not compelling enough to get in the final product. Still, with so many celebrities who seem profoundly allergic to fan interaction, it is nice to see Metallica embracing this at least on some level.

Fresh: Final Grade: 8.5/10