Godzilla is the KING of the monsters
I’ve loved Godzilla since I was a child and have incredibly fond memories of the old movies watching with my dad. So it’s hard to critique a movie that hits all my nostalgic memories with better F/X.
If you grew up loving the Japanese Kaiiju pictures and love to fantasize what Toho would have done with a $200M budget and the latest CGI tech you will likely enjoy parts of the movie more so than others.
This is the next film in the Warner Bros. and Legendary’s MonsterVerse with clues for what they have planned in the future (listen and watch the end credits). Michael Dougherty directed and co-wrote the script with Zach Shields (the two receive story credit with Max Borenstein, also the original writer on Edwards’ film).
The Titans as they are called in the movie come fast from the opening after setting up the emotional backstory of what leads to the epic smack down with puny humans really just being observers in the war of King of the Monsters.
The movie opens a few years since Godzilla smashed San Francisco and is what tore apart Mark and Emma Russell (Kyle Chandler and Vera Farmiga) who’s son died in the attack. Emma works for the Monarch organization that has been tasked with monitoring and studying the dormant creatures around the earth living on a compound with their daughter Madison (STRANGER THINGS sensation Millie Bobby Brown) with ‘Monster Zero’. Emma has continued working on the communication device called ORCA to speak, calm, anger, call and awaken the Titans. ORCA proved to be a working device that falls into the hands of eco-terrorist Dr. Jonah Alan (Charles Dance). Dr. Serizawa (Ken Watanabe) is a welcome voice of reason reminding the powers that be the Titans were Gods that bring balance to the world.
I thought the movie was fine and kept my attention but I would have preferred MORE monster time, fight scenes I could really see and a motivation that made sense. Emma and Mark both are crap parents so should have gotten counseling to better help their surviving child instead of distracting themselves with work! I’d love a Japanese move to be centered on JAPANESE actors and other cast of color that I believe would have enriched the story. I found all the meetings to figure out how to fight or even find the Godzilla and the other Titans a bit dull. Instead they wasted the military supporting cast and treated them like cannon fodder.
What I did love was how we got to see the monsters. Mothra was a delight and I so connected with her! She’s been a favorite since childhood so seeing a classic monster come to life (for me) was worth the price of admission! The usurper Ghidorah the three headed dragon who took on Godzilla in the artic was a great battle! It was fun to watch and all the people scurrying to escape gave me the giggles as I saw them decide to take on the dragon … the FOOLS! I loved the nod to the original films where it was obvious all three heads were separate creatures who thought for themselves. I wish we got more time with all the Titans since I always felt most of them were chaotic but didn’t really pay attention to humans anymore than we see ants below us (I do and try not to step on them).
To enjoy the movie look at it with your child’s mind ignore the plot holes big enough for a 747 to fly through and just enjoy the movie magic of giant Titans fighting for supremacy! Not monsters because WE are the monsters!
Starring Kyle Chandler, Vera Farmiga and Millie Bobby Brown
Directed by Michael Dougherty
Written by Michael Dougherty and Zach Shields
Warner Bros./Legendary
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