Growing up on retro science fiction and horror, you could probably guess how stoked I am for Warner Bros’ MonsterVerse. Beginning with Gareth Edwards’ Godzilla in 2014 and followed by Jordan Vogt-Roberts’ Kong: Skull Island, Kaiju films are just big as they ever were! I can’t think of anything as satisfying as seeing skyscraper-sized monsters beating the mother loving Hell out of each other.
It’s obvious Michael Dougherty, the director of Godzilla: King Of The Monsters and I are on the same page.
Set five years after Godzilla (2014), King Of The Monsters opens with the world in political chaos as to what to do if more monsters (now known as Titans) were to attack again. Like the typical Americans, Congress wants to blast them all to kingdom come. While the Monarch organization insist we could coexist. Despite Godzilla saving the day in 2014, two major cities were all but leveled leaving thousands dead. Monarch’s argument gets even more muddled when several new Titans show up with an insatiable love of death and destruction.
Meanwhile, a bio-terrorist wants to bring balance to the world by unleashing otherworldy evil, King Ghidorah. Now with the existence of humanity in question, Monarch and the government must set aside their differences to coax Godzilla into fighting for them. The debate of friend-or-foe is an interesting one considering most superhero films feature a third act where thousands of people are likely killed due to collateral damage.
As outlandish as the synopsis sounds, Godzilla: King Of The Monsters is still surprisingly grounded in reality.
The biggest complaint about Edwards’ Godzilla was how much time was spent on the Bryan Cranston and Aaron Taylor-Johnson’s characters. No matter how interesting they tried to make them, they would never top Godzilla himself. King Of The Monsters is a course correction in the way it features Titans just as much as the humans. Unfortunately, that also means we have to sit through lots of human drama. Whether it’s the drama of terrorism or a divorced couple, it’s basically just padding between action scenes. And that’s not even a dig at the cast at all.
Vera Farmiga and Kyle Chandler scamper around as not-Cate Blanchett and not-Tom Cruise, Charles Dance is essentially the same character he played in Last Action Hero while Millie Bobby Brown looks wide-eyed and cries in true Stranger Things fashion. All do a great job with what they’re given but let’s be honest; we’re really here for the giant monster action.
King Ghidorah, Rodan, Mothra, and of course, Godzilla are the real stars in King Of The Monsters and the director knows it.
Taking a cue from Kong: Skull Island, the monsters in this film behave more like zoo animals opposed to men in suits. Despite being entirely CGI, we see a range of emotions with each Titan character. From Godzilla angrily pounding one of King Ghidorah’s heads in, to Rodan losing his patience with a fleet of fighter jets, we know what they’re feeling. That’s a testament to the care and detail put into the performances of these monsters.
Speaking of care, it’s clear Dougherty is a super fan of the Godzilla series and it shows in every scene. I’d be lying if I said I didn’t get goosebumps when I heard Bear McCreary utilize the original Japanese Godzilla theme. It’s that kind of passion that makes the kaiju scenes work so well in King Of The Monsters. Dougherty made King Of The Monsters the movie he probably wanted to see a child.
Despite having an over-abundance of satisfaction, King Of The Monsters isn’t exactly perfect.
Aside from pacing issues in the first act, my biggest complaint is the awkward use of comedy. While a few laughs can be vital to ease and even build tension, a wonky joke can ruin the momentum. There’s more than a few times this happens throughout the 2nd half of the film. I may go as far as to say I think Bradley Whitford’s character was written strictly for focus groups. But even at it’s worst, it’s never a deal breaker. I like to think of King Of The Monsters is to Godzilla (2014) as what Aliens was to Alien. Again, none of this really matters when you just want some Kaiju action!
With enough to keep diehards happy yet interesting enough to pull in new fans, Dougherty has made the perfect summer movie. If you’re looking for theatrical fun that isn’t a spandex-clad superhero or a run-n-gun vigilante, Godzilla: King Of The Monsters is what you’re looking for. It’s everything you expect in the most wonderful way possible. Long live the King, indeed.