Netflix Sci-Fi Series Is Secret Sequel To Groundbreaking 80s Movie
If you’re wondering where the heck David Fincher’s long-awaited and highly-anticipated remake of 1981’s Heavy Metal is, you’ll be pleased to know that Netflix’s Love Death + Robots is the title that you’re looking for. After 11 years of development hell and lack of studio interest, the Heavy Metal remake that David Fincher and Tim Miller were so passionate about was re-imagined as an anthology series distributed by Netflix, and will satisfy your cravings for animated adult content for the foreseeable future. Love Death + Robots, like the original Heavy Metal film, boasts a significant amount of violence and nudity, but it’s not without stunning visuals and groundbreaking storytelling.
A Spiritual Successor
In other words, Love Death + Robots isn’t necessarily the Heavy Metal remake that you were looking for, but instead functions as its spiritual successor. The entire series is produced by Blur Studio, but each individual episode is produced by different animation studios from all over the world. While each episode functions as its own standalone short film, there are thematic overlaps across the episodes relating to love, death, and you guessed it, robots.
An Anthology Series
Taking a page from the Heavy Metal playbook, each short segment in Love Death + Robots boast wildly different animation styles and storytelling. Across three volumes and 35 episodes ranging from six to 21 minutes, the series has been celebrated by science-fiction fans for its bold approach to exploring a number of genres, including comedy, horror, and fantasy.
Critics Like It, But Not Universally
While Love Death + Robots has been well-received by critics and audiences alike, it’s not without criticism. Volume 1, which currently has a 77 percent critical score on Rotten Tomatoes, was praised for its ambitious animation and innovative storytelling methods, but also lost some points for focusing too heavily on themes of violence and gore. Volume 2 was considered an improvement with an 81 percent critical score, and critics were happy to notice that although each episode is its own unique piece of work, there is a substantial amount of thematic overlap between the shorts if you look hard enough.
Volume 3 is considered to be the most balanced installment of Love Death + Robots to date, and currently has a perfect 100 percent critical score on Rotten Tomatoes across 18 reviews.
An Alternative To Longer Series
If you find yourself growing tired of long, overarching, serialized sci-fi epics, then Love Death + Robots is the series that you need to familiarize yourself with sooner rather than later. Each episode is short, sweet, and to the point. And given how many animation studios are tied to the project, variety is the name of the game in this David Fincher-produced series.
Season 4 Is On The Way
As of August 2022, Love Death + Robots has been been renewed for a fourth season, but an official release date has not been announced as of this writing. But if the show continues to improve, it’s not ridiculous to speculate that Volume 4 will be just as epic, tantalizing, violent, and imaginative as its predecessors.
If you’re already caught up with the first three seasons of Love Death + Robots, we strongly recommend you check out Sturgill Simpson’s Sound & Fury, which is the Outlaw country singer’s own answer to Heavy Metal that does not disappoint. Otherwise, the series is waiting for you to fire up Netflix and take a deep-dive if you’re just now hearing about it.
