Metal: A Headbanger's Journey
Metal: A Headbanger's Journey Image
Metascore
73 out of 100

Generally favorable reviews - based on 10 Critics What's this?

User Score
7.9 out of 10

Generally favorable reviews- based on 13 Ratings

Your Score
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  • Summary: Sam Dunn is a 30-year old anthropologist. He's also a lifelong metal fan. After years of studying diverse cultures, Sam turns his academic eye a little closer to home and embarks on an epic journey into the heart of heavy metal. His mission: to try and figure out why metal music is consistently stereotyped, dismissed and condemned, even while the tribe that loves it stubbornly holds its ground - spreading the word, keeping the faith and adopting the style and attitudes that go way beyond the music.… Expand

Critic Reviews

Score distribution:
  1. Positive: 8 out of 10
  2. Mixed: 2 out of 10
  3. Negative: 0 out of 10
  1. Variety
    Reviewed by: Ken Eisner
    90
    Superbly crafted documentary is strong enough to make believers out of non-metalheads, and inside enough to get the devil's-horns salute from the most diehard followers.
  2. L.A. Weekly
    Reviewed by: Scott Foundas
    80
    At once playful and thorough, the documentary is also stacked teased-hair high with wicked performance footage.
  3. Chicago Tribune
    Reviewed by: Allison Benedikt
    75
    Sam Dunn's unabashed wet kiss to his favorite genre of music, heavy metal, a.k.a. devil's music.
  4. Empire
    Reviewed by: Will Lawrence
    60
    A documentary that preaches to the converted if ever there was one, but Dunn's enthusiasm for the subject and the range of pretension and humour of his interviewees makes for fun viewing.

See all 10 Critic Reviews

User Reviews

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Score distribution:
  1. Positive: 6 out of 8
  2. Mixed: 2 out of 8
  3. Negative: 0 out of 8
  1. AmandaC.
    10
    This documentary really makes you realize a whole aspect of metal that people don't allow themselves open enough to see. I think Dunn did a splendid job of basically proving that metal is what makes any individual stand out. You can percieve it to be an act of the devil, or you can understand and accept. You can criticize this movie any way you prefer, but this came from a true metal fans heart, and thats a right in your face 10 rating for me.… Expand
  2. Kevin
    8
    It's better than VH1's Heavy: The Story of Metal IMO. Truly a great documentary.
  3. MichaelM.
    7
    Great photography, and it moves right along, offering ample evidence that this filmmaker is up to date on his research. But my biggest complaint is that Christian metal was left out entirely. As a teen, I had to defend my love for God-Rock from two factions of critics: my church family, and the metalheads & record store groupies. I'm glad he has updated the Heavy Metal documentary genre, but this DVD made me long for so much more.… Expand
  4. EricC.
    4
    While watching, I was very entertained. It's a well shot and edited documentary, a very hard thing to do. But the film ignores the more influential and modern branches of metal in favor of the most popular (and, let's be honest, shallow) bands that Dunn worshiped as a teen. And I was disappointed to realize that I had just sat through an hour and a half long documentary to have preached to me the simple and obvious message that metal is just a way for outsiders to feel accepted, which is kind of offensive to those of us that believe there are metal and hardcore bands out there who are genuine artists. Oh yeah, and he doesn't touch upon metals recent acceptance by the indie crowd. Over all, the movie left me feeling empty and did not leave me with any substantial new knowledge (I'm supposed to care that that hobbit guy invented the devil horns?).… Expand

See all 8 User Reviews

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