Netflix Presents: “The Beat of Metallica – Lars Ulrich”
A thrilling journey through rhythm, rebellion, and legacy with Metallica’s unstoppable co-founder and drumming powerhouse.
In 2025, Netflix invites audiences to step behind the thunderous curtain of one of heavy metal’s most defining forces — Lars Ulrich, the relentless heartbeat of Metallica. “The Beat of Metallica” is not just another rock documentary; it’s an intimate, soul-stirring exploration of the man whose rhythm shaped an era and whose drive redefined what it means to live and breathe music.
From the opening crash of cymbals to the quiet moments in backstage solitude, the film captures Ulrich in a light few have ever seen. Born in Gentofte, Denmark, in 1963, Lars’s story began long before the birth of Metallica. Raised in a home filled with jazz and classical music — his father, Torben Ulrich, was a professional tennis player and musician — Lars’s early years were steeped in creativity and discipline. But his passion shifted gears the day he discovered the British heavy metal explosion of the late 1970s. Deep Purple, Motörhead, and Iron Maiden lit the spark, and a teenage Ulrich knew his destiny lay behind a drum kit.
Netflix’s “The Beat of Metallica” traces that journey — from Denmark to Los Angeles — where Lars placed an ad in a local paper seeking other musicians to jam with. That ad led to his meeting with James Hetfield, a moment that would alter the course of rock history. Together, they formed Metallica in 1981, and what followed was nothing short of a revolution. Through grainy early footage, unseen studio tapes, and exclusive interviews with Hetfield, Kirk Hammett, and Robert Trujillo, viewers witness the raw chemistry that turned four young outsiders into a band that would conquer the world.
The documentary dives deep into the making of legendary albums — Kill ‘Em All, Ride the Lightning, Master of Puppets, and …And Justice for All. Each record reveals a chapter of Lars’s evolution: from his early, blisteringly fast double-bass drumming to the refined power and precision that define Metallica’s modern sound. Music journalists, producers, and fellow musicians weigh in, analyzing how Ulrich’s unique timing and syncopation helped create the aggressive yet melodic blueprint that countless bands would later emulate.
But “The Beat of Metallica” isn’t just about the music — it’s about the man behind it. In candid interviews, Lars opens up about his struggles with fame, burnout, and the pressures of being the backbone of one of the world’s biggest bands. The film confronts the controversial moments too — from the 2000 Napster lawsuit, where Ulrich took a stand for artists’ rights in the digital age, to the internal tensions documented in Some Kind of Monster. Through it all, Lars emerges not as a villain, but as a visionary — fiercely protective of creativity and the art of music itself.
Netflix’s cameras follow him on tour, in rehearsals, and in his quiet California home, where he reflects on legacy, loss, and the future of rock. The moments are poignant — a man who once lived for the roar of 80,000 fans now finding peace in the rhythm of simplicity. We see Lars as a father, a bandmate, and a believer in the eternal pulse of sound. His laughter with the crew, his discipline during soundchecks, and his philosophical musings about music’s changing landscape create a portrait both human and heroic.
Visually, the documentary is striking. Directed with cinematic flair, “The Beat of Metallica” balances explosive concert scenes with moody, introspective sequences. High-definition footage of Metallica’s 2024-2025 world tour collides with grainy archive reels from the 1980s, creating a timeline that feels both timeless and immediate. The sound design — naturally — is impeccable, allowing every snare hit and cymbal crash to tell its own story.
In the end, “The Beat of Metallica” is more than a documentary — it’s a tribute to the endurance of rhythm and the fire of creativity. Lars Ulrich’s journey reminds us that greatness is never born overnight. It’s forged through sweat, mistakes, passion, and persistence. As the credits roll, viewers are left with one undeniable truth: behind every unforgettable riff, there’s a beat that refuses to die — and that beat belongs to Lars Ulrich.
Coming 2026, only on Netflix — “The Beat of Metallica.”
The rhythm, the rebellion, the legacy. One man. One band. One thunderous heartbeat that still echo
es across generations.
