Bill Zebubs' "Metalheads" is a comedy about a trio of shmucks, with what many refer to as a Greek tragedy undertone. But don't let that fool you; to many this film should be straight-up funny.
Protagonist Bill, played by director/producerwritereditor Zebub, is a grungy jobless dirthead with an obnoxiously needy girlfriend Elaine, who is the second member to the trio. The third member is Rich, a (literal) jerkoff doper who only mixes things up between the group. Elaines' main concern seems to be her underachieving boyfriend and the fact that he doesn't have a car. She harasses him about this many times, epitomizing her desire to be treated with some glamor. Rich plays the simple "best friend" role, but he becomes a kind of catalyst after a day of psychedelic-induced mania between the three. After this shakes things up, Bill goes "rampaging" with a local tough guy (credited as "Evil Metalhead") who leads him on a warpath of debauchery. We see Bills' true colors as he confronts the things Evil Metalhead makes him do.
There are so many novelty laughs in this flick that I wouldn't be surprised if it became a cult sensation and was quoted a lot. The stealer of the show is Zebub himself, whose poignant mannerisms make you wanna laugh and even throw back a beer with him. Most the rest of the cast weakly carry their roles; Elaine sounds and acts like a hack actor, but she holds her own. Rich was not portrayed so much better, but there is that perfect blend of character and blandness to him that is just right for the doper friend shtick. Then there is Evil Metalhead, who does a perfect job of being a badass.
As for content, the scenes run together seamlessly, often with brutal metal music in the background or just in plain noticeable volume. There is the occasional sex appeal gimmick, with naked women dancing to doomy music often. It has its' place in the movie but is arguably over-exploited. What's very strong are the thematic elements to the story, and it is peppered with foreshadowings of mystic happenings, giving the film a deeper layer (go figure!). Other strong points are Zebubs strong visual transitions and settings, and the many laughs to be had throughout. Things that could have been improved include editing; there were pieces of dialogue that would have been funnier if edited around differently. Also I suppose the casting could have been better but it's up to you to determine if that really matters in a low-budget flick like this. There is an ending about as "Greek" as it gets, and many will find one aspect to it rather satisfying (I know I did) yet cruel while the very last moment of the film will have you slap your knee laughing.
All in all, I'd have to say this movie was a VERY pleasant surprise, and I was thoroughly entertained throughout. If you like "Clerks", or Bam Margeras' "Haggard", then this film is right up your alley; depraved character-based humor with a metal edge, and a whole lot of "wrong-ness". You don't have to be a metalhead to get a kick out of this fun and original comedy.
