Monstrous film for a monstrous band

Most rock films don't receive much acclaim and tend to fall into one of two categories: laughable (This Is Spinal Tap, Rockstar) or concert flick (Rolling Stones:Aat the MAX). When the rockumentary Some Kind of Monster hits theaters Friday, it will change that image and likely will become the film all other rock films are measured against.

The film details the trials and tribulations that are a part of being in one of the biggest band of the world. It follows Metallica through the recording of its latest album, 2003's St. Anger, and in the process takes Metalli-fans on a mind-bending trip that includes art auctions, rehab, yelling, crying and plenty of therapy sessions.

For the serious metal-head, this film is a must-see, but it isn't marketed towards that group. The serious metal fans stopped following Metallica when band members cut their hair in 1996 and Alice In Chains made a small spectacle out of them on MTV's Unplugged.

This film is for the casual metal fans, the pretentious music journalists who have written the band off and film critics who are looking for a serious documentary to analyze besides Fahrenheit 9/11. The filmmakers were given unrestricted access in order to show what it is really like to be metals gods, and the results are well worth the price of admission.

It's entertaining and informative to watch drummer Lars Ulrich and singer James Hetfield battle through therapy sessions (Metallica paid a therapist $40,000 per month to be at the group's beck-and-call). And it's great to see the human side of the band while they go hunting, yachting and spend quality time with their families.

Through the 140-minute journey, viewers discover some interesting things about the band. Metallica's new bass player Robert Trujullio was paid $1 million up front to join the group. Ulrich used his millions of dollars to purchase high-priced paintings. Later in the film Ulrich drinks himself silly while auctioning it off. Ulrich also confronts former Metallica guitarist Dave Mustane, whom Ulrich and Hetfiled kicked out of the band in the early 1980s.

Ultimately, audiences will learn the following about each band member: The only thing Ulrich needed was a hug, and Hetfield just needed a little bit of rehab for his alcoholism, while guitarist Kirk Hammet just needs to collect his paycheck and play less and less of a role in one of the biggest band on the planet.

The last statement is a sad one since Hammet is one of the greatest axe-slingers to rock an arena. Unfortunately, Hammets' role in the film is minimal, with a majority of the screen time going to the ego and power struggles between Hetfield and Ulrich, heavy metal's equivalent to Lenon and McCartney.

Bottom line is Some Kind of Monster is the best rock film made to date. It not only shows human side of the most influential metal band this side of Black Sabbath, underneath it all the film is actually about music. It shows the group auditioning for a new bass player, the writing of the new material and puts fans in the control room where big decisions are made and where the band members really show their true colors.

The fact that those true colors require therapy sessions and those sessions happened to be caught on film is what will hook audiences. Besides, as Ulrich knows, everyone could use a hug every once in a while.

Some Kind of Monster opens July 30 at Varsity Theater (Landmark Theatres), located at 4329 University Way N.E.