[THEATER SPECIAL] Movie Review: "Godzilla: King of the Monsters" (2019) · 2:02am Jun 4th, 2019
[UPDATE 08/30/2019: I have re-reviewed this movie. You can find the link to it here.]
Hello, folks! I'm finally back with another movie review.
Now, you're probably thinking to yourself: "What's with the title? 'Theater Special'? What's that?". Well, that just means that it covers a movie that's still in the theaters. I actually went to see this last Friday, and I meant to write this up then, but I decided to wait to sort out my thoughts for this. But I wanted to write my own review for this movie as soon as I could.
So without further to do, let's dive into...
[POTENTIAL SPOILERS AHEAD; READ ON AT YOUR OWN PERIL OR IF YOU DON'T CARE]
The sequel to the 2014 film directed by Gareth Edwards, the movie's official synopsis is as follows:
"The new story follows the heroic efforts of the crypto-zoological agency Monarch as its members face off against a battery of god-sized monsters, including the mighty Godzilla, who collides with Mothra, Rodan, and his ultimate nemesis, the three-headed King Ghidorah. When these ancient super-species—thought to be mere myths—rise again, they all vie for supremacy, leaving humanity’s very existence hanging in the balance."
Allow me to summarize my thoughts on this film as thus:
BEST! GODZILLA! MOVIE! EVER!!!
I've been a Godzilla geek since 2012 or so, and this film was AWESOME!!! The cinematography, the music, the monsters...oh, sweet Celestia, the monsters! This film was an epic love letter to the Godzilla fanbase that people like me could once only dream of! I loved the 2014 movie, but the sequel was, like, ten times better!
One of the biggest complaints about the last movie was "how little screen time" (even though that's actually kind of normal for a Godzilla flick) the Big G had. Well, rest assured, he shows up a lot more in this movie, and he's awesome in every scene he's in. Whereas the average audience thinks of Godzilla as a big, green, fire-breathing lizard (and oh how I hate that generalization!), Godzilla in this film is the epitome of everything the character is; beautiful, awesome, and terrifying all at once.
The other three classic monsters–the guardian insect Mothra, the volcanic pterosaur Rodan, and the three-headed, extraterrestrial invader King Ghidorah–were amazing in this film, with redesigns that added whole new flairs to the characters of each, while also keeping them true to form. I'm so glad we finally got to see these amazing creatures in a Hollywood-style production, and I think they came out great. There's a few other monsters (all original; Legendary couldn't get the rights to all of the classic kaiju) that make appearances in this movie, but they didn't leave quite as big an impression as these did.
It was also cool to see the new technologies that MONARCH has developed since the last movie. They've got deep-sea submarines, they've got flying air-bases, they've got underwater fortresses; all the cool toys that your inner child could want.
The music, composed by Bear McCreary, was top notch as well, but it strikes a chord for fans especially, as it incorporates some of the classic monster themes, most notably Godzilla's, but also Mothra's as well.
But, like with all movies, I did have some minor nitpicks here and there.
I think my biggest problem is the inciting motive that gets the monsters woken up in the first place. The character of Dr. Emma Russell (played by Vera Farmiga) is essentially an environmental-nut; she believes that humanity is destroying the Earth, and that by awakening these monsters, called Titans in the film proper, will help to restore balance to the Earth. She doesn't necessarily believe in our genocide, but her motivations feel a little bit hashed out by now. It's made a little more eye-raising by the fact that she lost her son in the San Francisco attack of 2014. It just feels kind of weird and overdone, all things considered.
I also felt there were a couple of spots in the film where things were a little rushed, mostly in the ending scene, which involves the other Titans literally bowing to Godzilla after he kills Ghidorah, cementing his position as the Alpha and becoming the literal King of the Monsters. It's an awesome scene to be sure, but the movie ends right after that. I would have liked the impact to last a little longer and get a sense of "what now?".
Also, there were a couple of moments in the film where I felt some of the kaiju moved way too fast for creatures their size. It's a minor problem, and it doesn't crop up very often, but it's still something I noticed at times.
But believe me, the problems I mentioned above are nowhere near worth the level of ridicule that mainstream critics have been slinging at this movie. It's ironic; the last one was criticized for not having enough Godzilla. Okay; there's plenty of Godzilla to go around here, and now all of a sudden you're upset about that?! And so what if the human story is kinda weak?! The "cheesy, B-movie" Godzilla films that you guys like to remember fondly never had strong human characters, because in the end, they don't matter!!! Godzilla is the main character here! Not Bryan Cranston, not Millie Bobbie Brown, not that guy who was in that stupid Game of Thrones stuff! Godzilla!!! The Big G!!! The King of the Monsters!!! It's all about HIM!!!
WHAT DO YOU WANT FROM US?!?!
*ahem* Sorry. I get kind of passionate about defending things that I like.
Oh, well. Rotten Tomatoes and all the other mainstream critics don't matter in the end. Audiences loved this movie. The Godzilla fanbase loved this movie. I loved this movie.
And in the end, that's all that matters to me. This film was all that I could have asked for in a Godzilla film...and maybe a little bit more.
I give this film a 9/10. I highly recommend this film. It may not have the most thought-provoking of stories, but it doesn't necessarily have to. It's a beautiful, heart-pounding, and incredibly awesome film, and I and many other fans consider it one of the best Godzilla movies ever made, and it is a loving tribute to a character who has endured for over 65 years. Even if you aren't a Godzilla lover, I'd still recommend you go see it.
This is Jade Dawn...and long live the king.
Well spoken, my dude. Long live the king!
SKREEEEEEEEEEOOOONNGGKKK!
I never actually got into the whole Godzilla thing. I thought he was cool and all, but I never thought of myself as a kaiju fan at all. For a while I thought only he existed, and not this pantheon of other creatures in the same universe.
The Titans in Attack on Titan also move much too quickly for creatures of their size, but that's to be expected. They're unearthly beings that are basically a mix between giants and zombies. Their bodies are very light, and they disintegrate once properly killed.
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Oh, believe me, there's a lot more creatures out there than just Godzilla...and not even just in the MonsterVerse. There's at least ten different continuities thus far in the whole franchise.
I haven't seen Godzilla: King of Monsters yet, sorry. I'll let you know when I see it in theaters.
One of my buddies in Discord just can’t stop talking about screw the critics and the movie is beast!
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And he'd be right.
I haven’t seen this film yet. But, the trailers that I’ve seen of this movie, the positive word-of-mouth from audiences, and this review you showed me here, are all elements that I find myself get highly encouraged by, just to go see this movie. It’s been the same with the 2019 live-action Aladdin film.
I hope to see Godzilla: King of the Monsters very soon now, that’s for sure.
I saw it too!
and I'd give it a "9.5/10".
yes, I agree with what you said. BUT:
I didn't mind that. I've seen videos of crocodiles moving REALLY fast.
if the monsters are so BIG, that would mean their strength is big too. now I don't mean strength as buff (the kaiju already are), I mean their wings, legs, arms, and so-on. I've SEEN a so-called "slow" TURTLE....RUN to the water!
now that SOUNDED like I'm angry with you, but that is not the case.
I LOVED the movie just as much as you.
X3
BEST GODZILLA MOVIE TO DATE!
I watched this movie in IMAX and it was great. I've been a Godzilla fan since I was little and I've seen ever single movie. Critics can go screw themselves they hardly know how to appreciate a movie like this. Best Godzilla movie I've ever seen I also give it a 9/10.
I'm planning on seeing it this coming Saturday and your positive review of the film has given me an immense boost in confidence and eagerness in seeing it!
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Glad to hear it. :)
Having gotten to see it yesterday with my dad, I can definitely say it deserved that hype.
It gets a solid 10/10 from me just from seeing the designs for the Toho monsters.
My review of Godzilla: King of the Monsters