Metalhead (Black Mirror)
| "Metalhead" | |
|---|---|
| Black Mirror episode | |
Promotional poster
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| Episode no. |
Series 4 Episode 5 |
| Directed by | David Slade |
| Written by | Charlie Brooker |
| Featured music | Compositions by Krzysztof Penderecki |
| Original air date | 29 December 2017 |
| Running time | 41 minutes |
| Guest appearance(s) | |
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"Metalhead" is the fifth episode of the fourth series of anthology series Black Mirror. It was written by Charlie Brooker and directed by David Slade. The episode first aired on Netflix, along with the rest of series four, on 29 December 2017.
The first Black Mirror episode filmed entirely in black and white, the episode follows the plight of Bella (Maxine Peake) trying to flee from robotic "dogs" after the unexplained collapse of human society.
The episode received positive reviews. Critics overwhelmingly agreed Metalhead was unlike any other Black Mirror episode owing to how pared-down and gimmick-free it was. Peake's performance was praised, as was Brooker's decision to film it in black and white. Some critics however found the minimalism and lack of backstory underwhelming. The robotic "dogs" were influenced by Boston Dynamics' robotic dogs.
The episode is a post-apocalyptic story shot entirely in black and white. Bella (Maxine Peake), Tony (Clint Dyer), and Clarke (Jake Davies) are on a mission to fulfill a promise they made to Bella's sister. While Clarke tries to hijack a van, Bella and Tony break into a warehouse to find an object that is supposed to ease the pain of a dying human named Jack. They find the box that they are looking for, but behind it is a robotic guard-dog, known as a "dog". The dog emits a small shell, that explodes mid-air, and showers Bella and Tony in shrapnel containing barbed electronic trackers that embed themselves in the skin. The dog climbs down from the shelf and shoots Tony, killing him instantly; Bella flees, leaving the box behind. The dog follows her as she escapes in her car, with Clarke in the van following behind. The dog chases them and manages to catch up to the van, killing Clarke and then using the vehicle to attack Bella. Bella runs her car off the road through a forest, then comes to a halt abruptly as she reaches the edge of a cliff. The dog manages to track her down and climbs into the car, but Bella jumps out and the car falls off the cliff.
Bella uses a knife to extract the skin-piercing tracker embedded in her leg and throws it into a nearby river. She uses her walkie-talkie, but cannot audibly hear the person on the other end; she gives them a message to pass onto her loved ones, saying she might not make it back. Bella spots the dog, which is chasing after her, so she runs into a forest and climbs a nearby tree. The dog's arm was injured when it escaped from the car's wreckage, so it cannot climb, instead powering down and waiting. Bella drains it of power by repeatedly throwing sweets at it, causing the dog to power up and power down again. When it no longer responds to being hit by sweets, Bella climbs down the tree and runs. She comes across a vehicle outside a locked gate, but by opening a letterbox in the door, she is able to use a long wire to grab a keyring which allows her in. Meanwhile, the dog is recharging.
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