Born in 1970, on the cowshed floor of her parents Icelandic farm, Hera Karlsottir lives a carefree life. All that changes at a young age when Hera's older brother dies an accidental death in a farming accident. Fast-forwarding to Hera's early adulthood, Ragnar Bargason's Metalhead showcases a woman headed down a grief-fueled tailspin, mad at the world over the death of her brother, something that she has still failed to let go. Her parents are also grieving, but in a much more subdued way, not having the same adolescent rebellion towards god and society as their daughter. Thora Bjong Helga's portrayal of Hera is fantastic, capturing a woman who finds solace in heavy metal during a time of extreme agony. Her brother was a big fan of metal music, and Metalhead paints a convincing portrait of a woman unable to move on from his death. The father and mother are also strong characterizations, being characters that suffer in more subdued ways. Their son's room has not been touched since the day of his death, with the mother unwilling to let go of his death. The father is a man who takes the strong, silent approach to grief, as most men do, with the film beautifully illustrating the self-destructive qualities of loss. With the loss of their loved one, these characters struggle to accept that some things are out of your control, with the father inparticular, feeling guilt over his son's death. These characters don't talk about their issues but rather bottle it up inside, with one of the film's greatest attirbutes being how it captures this stench of guilt and grief in all of its characters. One could make an argument that a major aspect of Metalhead is its depiction of the power of music, showing it as a creative way for one to express themselves, showing its ability to procide solace in a time of sorrow. Metalhead is a well photographed film as well, using a hazy, muted color pallette that seems to hover throughout the film, feeling like a visual representation of this sadness. While there are a few aspects of Ragnar Bragason's Metalhead that feel overly dramatic, this is a film that offers a compelling story of loss and the need to move on.
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AuthorLove of all things cinema brought me here. Archives
June 2023
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