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Metropolis

Metropolis

There can be no understanding between the hands and the brain unless the heart acts as mediator.

1927150 minNot RatedMidcredits score: 98th percentile of all films
Director
Fritz Lang
Starring
Gustav Fröhlich, Brigitte Helm, Alfred Abel, Rudolf Klein-Rogge

In a futuristic city sharply divided between the rich and the poor, the son of the city's mastermind meets a prophet who predicts the coming of a savior to mediate their differences.

Where to watch

Where can I watch Metropolis?

As of October 24, 2026, MovieCove lists Metropolis streaming on Kino Film Collection via The Roku Channel, The Roku Channel (free) and Tubi (free).

Your rating, lists and review

Highlights

What stands out about Metropolis?

Metropolis earns 9 badges, led by Stood the test of time and Top 5% of films.

Show 1 more
  • Rank
  • Reception
  • Craft and mood
  • Awards and box office

Reception

Is Metropolis worth watching?

Metropolis' Midcredits score is the 98th percentile of all films, from 496K ratings across 5 sources. 86% liked it (rated it 7 or higher out of 10).

Midcredits score

How well it was received

98th percentile

Better received than 98% of films

98th percentile among Drama98th percentile among 1920s
Acclaim (how much people like it)98th
Approval (how many liked it)96th

83 /100

98th percentile of all films

98th percentile among Drama96th percentile among 1920s

Critics 98 · Audience 82

Critics liked it more than audiences did.

Rating distribution

Most people land high, with a thin tail of low scores from those it didn't reach.

86% liked it

96th percentile of all films

96th percentile among Drama95th percentile among 1920s
86% rated it 7–1014% rated it 1–6

Critics 97% · Audience 91%

On Rotten Tomatoes, a bigger share of critics approved than audiences.

Awards

0 Oscars won · 0 Oscar noms · 5 wins / 6 noms overall

Reach

How many have seen it

97th percentile

496K ratings across platforms

98th percentile among Drama99th percentile among 1920s
TMDB popularity, last 37 days to Oct 26

Box office

BudgetDEM 6M

In German mark, not converted to dollars.

Opening weekend$19K
Domestic gross$1.2M
Worldwide gross$1.4M

64th percentile earner in its genre.

What reviewers say

Common ground

Both camps agree the film is visually ambitious and technically groundbreaking for its time, but differ on whether its dated storytelling and theatrical performances hold up.

Fans praised

  • groundbreaking special effects and miniature work for 1927
  • visionary set design and German Expressionist cityscapes
  • influential social commentary on class division and mechanization

Detractors panned

  • overlong runtime and glacial pacing
  • melodramatic, exaggerated acting style
  • heavy-handed moralizing and simplistic political message

What stands out

Effects and spectacleDivisive95

revolutionary miniatures, Schüfftan process, robot transformation scene

Originality95

first feature-length sci-fi; hugely influential on Blade Runner, Star Wars, The Matrix

Atmosphere90

immersive, nightmarish vision of urban dystopia; expressionist world-building

CinematographyDivisive90

innovative use of light, shadow, and camera movement; expressionist compositions

ActingDivisive65

over-the-top silent-era style; Brigitte Helm's dual role praised by fans, panned as hammy by detractors

Plot and storyDivisive50

simple class-struggle fable with biblical allegory; fans call it timeless, detractors call it silly

CharactersDivisive45

archetypal rather than nuanced; Maria seen as saintly cipher, Freder as naive

Pacing35

often described as slow and overlong, especially in the middle

Preferred by

No notable difference between any of the groups: each pair ranks it within 10 percentile points.

  • Women vs men 5 points apart
  • Under-30s vs over-30s 3 points apart
  • Critics vs users 2 points apart
  • US vs non-US 2 points apart

Watch experience

What is Metropolis like to watch?

Conclusions only — categories and positions, no plot detail.

Moving and uplifting: browse every movie of this kind

Watch this when you are ready for heavy feelings, and you want to be moved and come out lifted.

It is intense, takes its time and leaves you hopeful. Skip it when you want an easy night or you want things to move fast.

ToneFeelDemandwhat the answer rests onexact position · filled zone: the category

What it asks of you

Room for heavy feelings and patience.

What it feels like

Moving and uplifting.

Moods
TenseMelancholicHopeful
Heaviest: late
Register
Solemn: Grave and dignified; treats its subject with weight and respect.Epic · 2% of films: Vast in scale: big landscapes, big stakes, a long span.Melodramatic · 9% of films: Heightened emotion, played large.
Told as
Three-act: Setup, confrontation, resolution — the default Hollywood shape.
ToneThe film presents its class struggle allegory with complete earnestness and operatic scale, characteristic of German Expressionism.
The rideThe film builds from curiosity to tension to catastrophe, with the heaviest emotional weight in the flood and final confrontation.
StructureThe story unfolds in a straightforward chronological order from Freder's awakening to the resolution of the class conflict.

How it leaves you

what you carry away

Hopeful.

The answer rests on this: HopefulThought-provoking
Why it leaves you this wayThe resolution offers hope for class reconciliation while leaving the viewer to ponder the ongoing challenges of social division.
How it ends · evidence
Happy ending

Story archetype

where it sits among all films
Monster — 21% of films. A threat menaces the hero's world and must be defeated.Rags — 3% of films. A rise from lowliness to fortune, status, or recognition.Quest — 10% of films. A journey toward a defined objective, with companions and obstacles.Voyage — 4% of films. Into a strange world and back again, changed.Comedy — 11% of films. Confusion and cross-purposes resolved into harmony.Tragedy — 9% of films. A flaw or fixation drives the protagonist to ruin.Rebirth — 13% of films. A stalled or darkened life reopened and renewed.Mystery — 7% of films. A question drives the story — who did it, what happened, what is real — until it is answered.No archetype — 22% of filmsPredator — 6% of films. A creature or killer hunts the protagonists (Jaws, Alien).Tyrant — 6% of films. A human villain holds power over the hero's world (Die Hard).Invasion — 2% of films. An external force attacks the home or world (Independence Day).Oppressive state — 2% of films. A government, its agencies or a secret faction inside them is the monster (V for Vendetta).Corporate villainy — 1% of films. A company or its bosses are the monster (Erin Brockovich).Institutional injustice — 1% of films. A court, prison, police force, school or church is itself the enemy (Spotlight).Class system — under 1% of films. The gap between rich and poor, or a rigid hierarchy, is the monster (Parasite).Technology turns — under 1% of films. Technology people rely on becomes the threat (The Terminator).Inner demon — 1% of films. The monster is within — addiction, illness, a dark double.Underdog triumph — 2% of films. Rise through competition or contest (Rocky).Social ascent — under 1% of films. A climb in class or status (Pretty Woman).Fame and fortune — under 1% of films. An artistic or showbiz rise (A Star Is Born).Rise and fall — under 1% of films. Wealth or power gained, self lost (Scarface).Hidden worth revealed — under 1% of films. The protagonist's true value finally recognized.Treasure hunt — 1% of films. Retrieve an object of value (Raiders of the Lost Ark).Rescue — 4% of films. Retrieve or save a person (Saving Private Ryan).Mission — 5% of films. Accomplish or destroy a defined objective (Mission: Impossible).Journey home — under 1% of films. The goal is getting back (Finding Nemo).Pilgrimage — 1% of films. The journey itself transforms; the destination is symbolic.Portal fantasy — under 1% of films. Transported into another world (The Wizard of Oz).Fish out of water — 2% of films. Displaced into an unfamiliar social world (Elf).Survival ordeal — 1% of films. Trapped in a hostile environment, fighting back (Cast Away).Time displacement — under 1% of films. Unstuck in time (Back to the Future).Descent — 1% of films. A night-journey into an underworld or subculture (After Hours).Romantic comedy — 4% of films. Lovers kept apart by confusion, united at last.Comedy of errors — 3% of films. Mistaken identity or misunderstanding drives the plot.Farce — 2% of films. Escalating absurd chaos and coincidence (The Hangover).Buddy comedy — 1% of films. A mismatched pair forced together (Rush Hour).Comedy of manners — 1% of films. Social codes and class satirized (Clueless).Hubris — 1% of films. Pride or ambition invites the fall (There Will Be Blood).Obsession — 2% of films. A fixation consumes the protagonist (Black Swan).Corruption arc — 2% of films. Step-by-step moral decay (The Godfather).Doomed love — 2% of films. Love destroyed by circumstance (Brokeback Mountain).Crushed by fate — 3% of films. Destroyed by forces beyond the protagonist's control.Redemption — 3% of films. Moral reawakening of a hardened soul (A Christmas Carol).Healing — 5% of films. Recovery from grief or trauma (Good Will Hunting).Liberation — 2% of films. Breaking free of a confining life (Room).Second chance — 2% of films. A stagnant life re-opened to love or purpose (Groundhog Day).Puzzle — 1% of films. A clue-by-clue puzzle you can try to solve before the reveal (Knives Out, Clue).Investigation — 5% of films. A long pursuit of the truth that may never be fully solved (Zodiac, Memories of Murder).Enigma — 2% of films. The mystery is what is real, or what is actually happening (Mulholland Drive).Monster
Every story archetype, clockwise from the top
  • Monster 21% (this title): Predator 6% · Tyrant 6% · Invasion 2% · Oppressive state 2% · Corporate villainy 1% · Institutional injustice 1% · Class system under 1% (this title) · Technology turns under 1% · Inner demon 1%
  • Rags 3%: Underdog triumph 2% · Social ascent under 1% · Fame and fortune under 1% · Rise and fall under 1% · Hidden worth revealed under 1%
  • Quest 10%: Treasure hunt 1% · Rescue 4% · Mission 5% · Journey home under 1% · Pilgrimage 1%
  • Voyage 4%: Portal fantasy under 1% · Fish out of water 2% · Survival ordeal 1% · Time displacement under 1% · Descent 1%
  • Comedy 11%: Romantic comedy 4% · Comedy of errors 3% · Farce 2% · Buddy comedy 1% · Comedy of manners 1%
  • Tragedy 9%: Hubris 1% · Obsession 2% · Corruption arc 2% · Doomed love 2% · Crushed by fate 3%
  • Rebirth 13%: Redemption 3% · Healing 5% · Liberation 2% · Second chance 2%
  • Mystery 7%: Puzzle 1% · Investigation 5% · Enigma 2%
  • No archetype 22%

Overcoming the monster: A threat menaces the hero's world and must be defeated. · Class system: The gap between rich and poor, or a rigid hierarchy, is the monster (Parasite).

21% of films fit this archetype

with Rebirth underneath

Why this archetypeFreder Fredersen confronts the oppressive class system of Metropolis and transforms into the Mediator who bridges the divide between rulers and workers.

What it's about

7 groups · 53 themes
Bonds — 27% of filmsSelf — 22% of filmsPower — 7% of filmsMorality — 16% of filmsSurvival — 15% of filmsSociety — 9% of filmsIdeas — 5% of filmsRomantic love — 15% of filmsMarriage — 2% of filmsFamily bonds — 21% of filmsParenthood — 2% of filmsFriendship — 9% of filmsLoyalty — 4% of filmsIdentity — 14% of filmsComing of age — 5% of filmsAging — under 1% of filmsSelf-worth — 7% of filmsAmbition — 7% of filmsPurpose — 9% of filmsMemory — 3% of filmsObsession — 3% of films. A fixation consumes the protagonist (Black Swan).Power — 2% of filmsCorruption — 3% of filmsGreed — 3% of filmsClass — 3% of filmsOppression — 4% of filmsFreedom — 5% of filmsJustice — 13% of filmsDuty — 2% of filmsRevenge — 4% of filmsGuilt — 3% of filmsRedemption — 6% of films. Moral reawakening of a hardened soul (A Christmas Carol).Forgiveness — 1% of filmsSacrifice — 4% of filmsBetrayal — 5% of filmsDeception — 9% of filmsSurvival — 17% of filmsWar — 1% of filmsViolence — 4% of filmsMortality — 2% of filmsGrief — 6% of filmsTrauma — 7% of filmsMental illness — 1% of filmsAddiction — 1% of filmsIllness and disability — under 1% of filmsCommunity — 14% of films. Consequences reach a town, institution or group.Isolation — 5% of filmsPrejudice — 3% of filmsDisplacement — 1% of filmsFaith — 3% of filmsTradition vs change — 2% of filmsFame — 3% of filmsLegacy — 4% of filmsFate — 1% of filmsFree will — under 1% of filmsTruth — 4% of filmsHope — 5% of filmsNature — 2% of filmsArt — 4% of filmsTechnology — 1% of filmsSelfClassPower
Every theme, clockwise from the top
  • Bonds 27%: Romantic love 15% (this title) · Marriage 2% · Family bonds 21% · Parenthood 2% · Friendship 9% · Loyalty 4%
  • Self 22%: Identity 14% · Coming of age 5% · Aging under 1% · Self-worth 7% · Ambition 7% · Purpose 9% · Memory 3% · Obsession 3%
  • Power 7% (this title): Power 2% · Corruption 3% · Greed 3% · Class 3% (this title) · Oppression 4% · Freedom 5%
  • Morality 16%: Justice 13% (this title) · Duty 2% · Revenge 4% · Guilt 3% · Redemption 6% · Forgiveness 1% · Sacrifice 4% · Betrayal 5% · Deception 9%
  • Survival 15%: Survival 17% · War 1% · Violence 4% · Mortality 2% · Grief 6% · Trauma 7% · Mental illness 1% · Addiction 1% · Illness and disability under 1%
  • Society 9%: Community 14% · Isolation 5% · Prejudice 3% · Displacement 1% · Faith 3% · Tradition vs change 2% · Fame 3% · Legacy 4%
  • Ideas 5%: Fate 1% · Free will under 1% · Truth 4% · Hope 5% · Nature 2% · Art 4% · Technology 1%

Power

Class · 3% of filmsJustice · 13% of filmsRomantic love · 15% of films
Warns its theme: Presents its theme as a danger or a coming cost.Societal stakes: Consequences reach a whole social order.Single lead
How it treats its themeThe film centers on the exploitation of the working class and the need for a mediator to unite the ruling elite and the laborers.
StanceThe film warns of the catastrophe resulting from class exploitation and advocates for a mediator to prevent destruction.

The world

Near futureUrbanScience fiction
Orchestral classicalForeground music · original score · Gottfried Huppertz
SettingA futuristic corporate city-state divided between the elite above ground and the workers below.
MusicThe original score by Gottfried Huppertz was rediscovered and is often performed with screenings.

Content guide

Is Metropolis okay for kids?

Not Rated

Metropolis is not rated. As of October 2, 2026, Midcredits content scores put its violence at mild (32/100), sexual content at moderate (37/100), language at minimal (7/100), drug and alcohol content at mild (27/100) and frightening material at moderate (50/100). Overall it is heavier than 23% of unrated films.

Ratings in 14 other countries
  • UKPG
  • AustraliaG
  • Germany6
  • FranceTP
  • IrelandPG
  • BrazilL
  • Denmark15
  • FinlandK-16
  • ItalyT
  • Netherlands12
  • Norway15
  • PortugalM/6
  • SpainA
  • Sweden15
Overall
Moderate · all five categories
Heavier than 19% of all filmsHeavier than 23% of unrated films
Violence & Gore
Mild
light for an unrated film
heavier than 23%
Sex & Nudity
Moderate
typical for an unrated film
heavier than 47%
Profanity
None / Minimal
light for an unrated film
heavier than 14%
Alcohol & Drugs
Mild
light for an unrated film
heavier than 22%
Frightening / Intense
Moderate · audience split: No severity level holds a majority of voters
typical for an unrated film
heavier than 42%

Point along a line to see a well-known title at that level.

Nothing here is extreme. The strongest element is frightening material, heavier than 42% of unrated films.

Source: Midcredits content scores, 0 (none) to 100 (severe) per category, with each standing ranked against other films that have them.

What content warnings does Metropolis have?

Not screened for content warnings yet.

Cast and crew

Who is in Metropolis?

Cast

Gustav Fröhlich
as Freder Fredersen - Joh Fredersens Sohn
Brigitte Helm
as Maria
Alfred Abel
as Johann (Joh) Fredersen
Rudolf Klein-Rogge
as Erfinder C.A. Rotwang
Theodor Loos
as Josaphat
Fritz Rasp
as Der Schmale
Heinrich Gotho
as Zermonienmeister
Georg John
as Arbeiter
Curt Siodmak
as Arbeiter
Olaf Storm
as Jan

Crew

More like this

What are movies like Metropolis?

Movies like Metropolis include Elysium (2013), Metropolis (2001) and Things to Come (1936). Of the 12 closest matches, most are films set in the near future, and several are stories about the class system.

Balanced: every group counts the same, and production only breaks ties.

10 of these 12 share its world: dystopian. Those cards say what else they share.

Explore by

What else shares a premise, people or place with Metropolis?

467 other films share the rarest tag below, up against: scientist. Each tag opens Browse with the films that share it.