enturies ago, the Arakacians ruled the galaxy. This evil race possessed the secret of eternal life. When they were ultimately defeated, the key to their mystical chamber of immortality was flung into outer space. For thousands of years its whereabouts remained unknown, until a mining ship--under the command of Lt. Tyler (Ironside)--discovered the long-lost artifact on a barren asteroid. But age-old legends warn that whoever touches the key goes insane, and indeed, before long Tyler begins a maniacal quest to find the mythical chamber.
His journey leads him to Eden, an idyllic world that has been misleadingly designated as a second-level Federation Assigned Ketogenic Killzone, or FAKK2--an area considered deadly to all carbon-based life. Detecting traces of water containing the substance that bestows immortality, Tyler and his crew mercilessly attack the planet. Most of the inhabitants are killed, but a warrior named Julie (Eastman) survives, and, with the help of one of Tyler's former henchmen, follows the marauder to the Neo-Calcutta space station.
Traveling under the pseudonym FAKK2, Julie tracks Tyler down and attempts to assassinate him. However, the water he has ingested from Eden prevents him from being killed, forcing Julie to continue her pursuit to the planet Uroboris, where the chamber of immortality is located.
There she meets Odin (Idol), an ancient entity who, along with a creature composed entirely of stone named Zeek (Rick Jones), guards the entrance to the sacred room. The threesome band together to prevent Tyler from entering the chamber, but, as his army advances, it's clear that their meager defenses--and a possible traitor in their midst--might not be enough to keep him from attaining eternal life.
A subpar sequel
When Heavy Metal debuted in 1981, its mix of adult humor, sexual situations, drug references and--what else?--heavy metal music was considered daring and audacious. Heavy Metal 2000 tries to achieve the same edginess, but tiresome dialogue, uneven pacing, a weak plot and an unsettling blend of traditional and computer animation result in a movie that, quite simply, does not live up to either the legacy of its predecessor.
Both Eastman and Ironside deliver competent performances. But the script forces Tyler to utter inane lines like "When you kill someone, darling, make sure he's dead!" For an adult-oriented adventure, it's surprisingly unsophisticated. There are also numerous incidents, such as an admittedly comical scene in which Julie is coerced into kissing a revolting creature, that seem designed only to shock or disgust. Meanwhile, the character of Odin, though nicely voiced by Idol, is never fully developed, leading to unnecessary confusion toward the end of the picture.
Nonetheless, there are a few commendable facets to Heavy Metal 2000. With the exception of a dreadful CGI sequence near the climax, the computer animation--which constitutes about 40 percent of the film--is decent, especially in the outer-space scenes. Although subdued, the legendary Heavy Metal humor is also evident, ranging from lewd words hidden in docking codes to the design of Julie's spaceship, which mimics a high-tech "hog" (motorcycle). And, while the musical cues sometimes pop up rather abruptly, overall the hard-rock soundtrack complements the on-screen action.
Yet Heavy Metal 2000 still lacks the reckless and rebellious spirit of Heavy Metal. The movie isn't a total loss, but fans expecting an intelligent, irreverent picture will be disappointed.
