Common Sense Media Review
By Brian Costello
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
Animated TV show sequel has violence, language, drugs.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 16+?
Any Positive Content?
Where to Watch
Videos and Photos
Metalocalypse: Army of the Doomstar
What's the Story?
In METALOCALYPSE: ARMY OF THE DOOMSTAR, Nathan Explosion (Brendon Small) finds himself in a tailspin after saving the life of Toki Wartooth. In the middle of this tailspin, Doomstar is trying to reunite with the other members of Dethklok. While trying to get together to tour and release a new album, they also face a threat from The Masked Metal Assassin and Salacia (Mark Hamill), and Dethklok has been tasked with composing the "Song of Salvation" that will rescue the world. Nathan, Skwisgaar, Murderface, Pickles, and Toki must find a way to curb their egos, for that's the only way they'll be able to write the song that saves the world and brings them back into the fans' good graces.
Is It Any Good?
This is a sequel with plenty of funny moments that stand on their own but is ultimately best for longtime fans. Metalocalypse: Army of the Doomstar picks up where The Doomstar Requiem left off in 2013. While the story isn't easy to follow if you haven't been watching the Adult Swim show and keeping up with Dethklok over the years, there's enough exaggerated humor revolving around all the ins and outs of the heavy metal subculture, to say nothing of the all-star cast, to consider this a good introduction into this world of demons and spells and hard partying and shredding.
The movie is full of silly sight gags that are pretty over the top. The exaggeration isn't so much mockery as it is a celebration of heavy metal culture, for all its bombast and fantasy elements. It's fun on its own, but watching the episodes and sequels that came before this might provide more context.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about the humor of Metalocalypse: Army of the Doomstar. How does the movie both poke fun at and celebrate the culture that has emerged from heavy metal music?
How is this similar to and different from other Adult Swim content you've seen?
As a sequel, does this stand on its own, or is it best enjoyed by those who have seen the show?
Movie Details
- On DVD or streaming : August 22, 2023
- Cast : Jon Hamm , Mark Hamill , Malcolm McDowell
- Director : Brendon Small
- Studio : Warner Home Video
- Genre : Comedy
- Topics : Arts ( Music and Sing-Along )
- Run time : 83 minutes
- MPAA rating :
- MPAA explanation : Pervasive language, violence and drug use.
- Last updated : September 18, 2025
Did we miss something on diversity?
Research shows a connection between kids' healthy self-esteem and positive portrayals in media. That's why we've added a new "Diverse Representations" section to our reviews that will be rolling out on an ongoing basis. You can help us help kids by
Suggest an Update
Common Sense Media's unbiased ratings are created by expert reviewers and aren't influenced by the product's creators or by any of our funders, affiliates, or partners.
See how we rate