Black Mirror: Metalhead (2017)

A lot of build up for a pointless, unimaginative ending that resolves nothing! I've been a writer for over 40 years and I get what they were trying to accomplish. THEY MISSED HORRIBLY!!!

With an Anthology series there are always hit and miss episodes. Metalhead is certainly not the best of episodes. A woman being chased around by a smart metallic insect for almost an hour with little background story, little dialogue and uninspired scenes was not too impressive. Some great episodes have nicely built up to something but Metalhead fails and is dull throughout. I think the writers needed a space filler episode and this was it. The black and white also does not work well for the episode as it seems even more dull and detached. 6/10

Brooker is a media satirist, so I want to give him the benefit of the doubt about this episode. My 6 rating is because even as dry satire, it's underwhelming.The premise is: mechanical dogs have decimated life in Scotland and presumably the world. The episode is essentially a prolonged chase. Instead of zombies in 28 Days Later, we've got robot dogs.There aren't many beats. Maxine Peake runs, trembles, inhales, sobs, etc. Ms Peake isn't given a lot to work with, yet does an admirable job. If she appears to over-act: what else is she supposed to do?So why is it possible parody? The first clue is it's in black & white. It looks a lot like Besson's wonderful The Last Battle. I'm tempted to believe that Brooker is giving a nudge to Besson to ask how he went from crafting quiet, beautiful films to his current excessive style. My second clue is the final shot. With the overwrought music, saccharine morality and the God-like perspective ... well, I hope Brooker understands what that means to the viewer.As a sincere story, it's silly. As a parody, it's not skewering much. This one's a swing and a miss. But I'm optimistic that Brooker has many more interesting stories to tell.

I see quite a difference of opinion in the reviews so far for this episode. I'm in the camp that it is an extremely good episode indeed. Very little exposition is required because it is obvious, roughly, what has happened to create this dystopian world. It is something that is talked about and discussed by academics and Sci Fi enthusiasts today, something we all fear.In this episode the cold calculation of the enemy is terrific and the humanity of the main character is superbly portrayed by Maxine Peakes.Some are saying that the mission the group embarked upon was silly but this film is about the end-days. Everyone knows they are finished and they want to strike out with some form of humanity before its over.